The Last Successor
by Psychoblue
Summary: Yuan Yao, once the crown prince of the land, throws away his title and his kingdom in exchange for a plan of revenge and betrayal, turning him from a young lover into a griefstricken engine of bloodshed. Focuses largely on the Wu kingdom.
1. Arrow of Love

The thoughts that flowed through young Yuan Yao's head as he approached the enemy camp should have been filled with dread. As the crown prince and heir apparent to "Emperor" Yuan Shu, however tentative that title was with the chaos engulfing the nation, Yao should have been concerned about the myriad of assassins and bandits that would make a tidy profit off of his head, or a literal king's random should be captured. Even his esteemed Yuan bloodline was having little success quelling the dissention that was splitting the Han Dynasty apart like sand against the tide, and so Yao was a prime target for Shu's many enemies.

But at Yao's insistence, he accompanied his father's general Ji Ling into the enemy camp near Xiaopei. Unlike his father and uncle Shao, who had earned impressive reputations as successful warlords in the chaotic times, Yao had spent almost the entirety of the turmoil in the security of his castles. The esteemed Yuan family were strong advocates of enjoying the succor that their nobility allowed them, and Yuan Shu's dreams in particular were grandiose with excess and wealth. Because of this, Yao had spent all of his life under the full protection of the Han, knowing nothing else but a life of privilege.

Yuan Yao hoped to change that as he stepped into the camp, with the enemy's troops tending to his horse while he dismounted. "Your swords, please," one of the soldiers said to them.

"...you cannot be serious," Ji Ling growled as he reached for the hilt of his blade, causing the attending soldiers to reach for their own weapons. "Do you think us foolish enough that we would enter this unarmed? My lord Yuan Shu has come to you with the intention of taking this land, and your heads! What reason to believe that you will not do the same to us when we let our guard down?"

"Do as he says, general," Yao said softly before removing the sword from his hilt and handing it to the attendant. "These are talks of peace, and there is no need for a blade if the enemy abides by the same standard."

"And how do we know that they have done so, my lord?" Ji Ling retorted, still holding onto the hilt of his sword.

Yao's answer came in the form of pointing his finger to the halberd that lay outside the general's tent, and this was all Ji Ling needed to confirm the enemy's sincerity. Though Yao had never seen the weapon in person, the craftsmanship of the tall weapon was unmistakable. The famed Sky Scorcher was a weapon that was sought after by all warriors, for claiming the weapon would result in adulation and confirmation as a true legend of the era. This was because the wielder of the weapon was rarely seen without it, and all who had tried to wrest it from him met a bad end.

Once the general relented and gave his sword to the attendant, the two were escorted into the tent with the setting sun giving the abode an orange hue while day gave way into night. The reactions of the two men as they entered the tent gave evidence to the stark contrasts of their upbringing. Ji Ling's face hardened through years of conflict revealed a sense of high anxiety as already seated in the tent was the very man that Yuan Shu ordered Ji Ling to slay, and the reaction of his target was more than mutual. Both of them were disarmed, and they assessed this the moment their eyes met.

But Yao, whose clean face still held the youthful beauty of innocence, and whose hair that shone like the blade of the sword still fresh from blood, had a very different reaction. As soon as he was shown his spot at the table, Yao brought his hands together and bowed to his father's enemy. "Master Liu Bei," Yao said with the polite friendliness of a noble that was taught to respect his elders. "It is an honor to finally meet you. I am Yuan Yao, son of Yuan Shu, and I have heard many tales of your valor."

Liu Bei nervously returned the greeting before again looking to Ji Ling's wary glare, troubling him so much that he found considerably more comfort in Yao's eyes that revealed a more steady soul. "...please forgive my confusion, Lord Yao," he finally said through a puzzled grin. "I was not expecting your company this evening. I received word that your father had called your army to arms against me and that we were to prepare for battle. Had I known his mission was nobler, I would have extended a more appropriate reception."

"Then why are we sitting in here in your tent...unless you are conducting some sort of scheme," Ji Ling released an accusation before preparing to leave the tent. "Come, my prince: we should leave before-"

"You will do no such thing."

The voice was low, but its intentions were unmistakable like the thunder before a lightning strike. Without even having a chance to turn their heads, both Liu Bei and Ji Ling found themselves frozen in place by the host of their meeting as he stepped into the tent, dressed in his full battle armor. Yuan Yao, who had been placed so that he was facing the tent's entrance, caught a full glimpse of their host, but unlike the other two, he did not freeze with fright.

The tales of this man were almost abundant, and even his steed had a name among the legends of war that China had to offer. Lu Bu the Destroyer, Lu Bu the Flying General, Lu Bu the Betrayer...and in Yuan Yao's secrets, Lu Bu the God of War. Lu Bu was even more awe-inspiring than his father described: tall, but not thin. Muscular, but not large. A strong face that carried itself with power and intimidation even in a neutral setting such as this. What Yuan Yao witnessed was the aura of warrior perfection. By stepping into the tent and simply sitting down, Lu Bu had turned his father's trusted general and the popular hero Liu Bei into mere children.

Lu Bu's glare turned to Yuan Yao, who snapped to attention and bowed his head. "...boy," he said curtly. "State your name."

"I am Yuan Yao, son of Yuan Shu, come to observe this meeting with my father's blessing," Yao said with his head still bowed. "It is a supreme honor to meet the man who saved our land from Dong Zhuo's tyranny."

"...tyranny is a very subjective terms these days, boy," Lu Bu said as he turned to Ji Ling, and then to Liu Bei. "For example, I received a decree from the Imperial Court that I should do everything in my power to rip the throat from the neck of your father, who believes that he is now the Emperor just because he has the Imperial Seal...and my little brother Liu Bei has been called by some as a pretender who uses his surname to claim fame and prestige to which he has little right."

Yao sensed that Lu Bu was trying to intimidate him by mentioning the death warrant that has been placed on his father, and by extension himself, but the prince's naivete gave him the bravery that came from not seeing first-hand the butchering of soldiers that Lu Bu was capable of. To that end, he pressed on. "Litigation and distribution of power can come after we have united the land. The sooner we as gentlemen and servants of the Han can come to an agreement, the sooner we can smite those that would bring destruction to us."

"Quite right," Lu Bu spoke up as Ji Ling and Liu Bei continued to avoid eye contact with their host. "In these times of chaos, it is important for us to stay together or be washed away in the torrent of change. Yuan Shu has requested that I aid him in his campaign against Liu Bei and has given me gifts as incentive...but Liu Bei is my little brother who offered my men a home when they had none. I am sure both of you understand my predicament."

Ji Ling gulped as he felt Lu Bu stare a hole into him. "...do you mean to cut me down, Lu Bu?" Ji Ling whispered in fear.

"Not at all," Lu Bu shook his head before turning to Liu Bei, who Yao noticed that although he had been called the Flying General's little brother, trembled with fear as much as Ji Ling. "...and do not worry, Brother Liu, I will not cut you down this evening. No one will die today, for I have been called upon by the Heavens to bring peace."

Talks of peace were thrown around by warlords and generals in these chaotic times with reckless abandon, to a point where even the hail of arrows from all of the archers in both their armies paled in comparison to the declarations of virtue tossed around. But there were few who could talk of peace and still make men tremble in fear like Lu Bu: a trait he must have inherited from his former commander Dong Zhuo. But like a child, Yao stared at Lu Bu in wonder as the general stood up.

"You might find this hard to believe, gentlemen, but I absolutely detest conflict. I see my dominance on the battlefield not as an instrument to wage war, but an asset used to make peace. All my life I have prided myself on stopping arguments and promoting harmony," the general motioned to one of the guards, who moments later came back with Lu Bu's halberd. Ji Ling and Liu Bei both broke into a cold sweat in a cool sunset air as the killer of tens of thousands of warriors stood before them in all of his glory.

"...why do you cower?" Yao said in his infinite bravery.

"They cower because they only see me as the reaper of lives," Lu Bu grunted with a faint hint of the violent intent that backed up his guests' ideas of him. Turning around and motioning for his guests to follow him, Lu Bu handed the halberd to another attendant, who then rode out onto a horse. The guests watched as the attendant rode the horse to the outskirts of the camp, and into the open fields, where the halberd was firmly planted into the ground.

Once the attendant returned, Lu Bu was handed a bow and quiver while he continued where he left off. "I was granted unlimited might so that I may make peace, and so I come to you with a wager. I will hit the left branch of my halberd with this shot, and if I am to miss, you are to return to your respective camps and do what you will. But if I hit my mark, Yuan Shu will withdraw his forces upon drafting an official truce between him and Liu Bei."

"Lord Lu Bu, that's insane," Liu Bei protested. "You'd wager the safety of my men on a foolhardy bet? That's easily 150 paces away from where you are now, and in that exact spot? I refuse to go along with this insanity!"

Lu Bu's expression quickly curled into a snarl as he turned to Liu Bei and pulled back on his bow. "If you'd prefer, I'll save Yuan Shu the trouble and put this arrow through the back of your head!" When Liu Bei backed off, he heard Ji Ling chuckle before he turned his arrow on him, and the general sucked his breath inward like quicksand. Seeing that he made his point, Lu Bu turned to Yuan Yao, who only watched with great enthusiasm.

"Your skepticism is painful, but so is the naivete of the prince, for none of you have witnessed what I'm truly like. I've been condemned as a monster, hailed as a god, but these are only part of the might of Lu Bu. I am also the hero who slew the traitor Dong Zhuo, and will now bring everlasting peace to this region!" Pulling back on the bow in full, Lu Bu turned to the halberd that reflected the last gasps of the day, and fired just as the sun fully set into the mountains. "By my unlimited might, I now bring upon you all...PEACE!"

Though the light was diminishing rapidly, everyone in the camp clearly saw what happened next. Just as Lu Bu has promised, the arrow bounced off of the hook of the halberd, much to the relief of Liu Bei and astonishment of Ji Ling. Yao was quite impressed, and enthusiastically praised his host. "Truly awe-inspiring, Master Lu Bu," he pipped as Lu Bu reached for a second arrow with a grin on his face. "Father says you are a demon who eats men's lives, but I see now that he is wrong! You are a hero...no, you are a god!"

"A god? HMPH! You discredit me, boy," Lu Bu said with a scoff before firing a second arrow, this time through one of the tiny slits of the halberd. Then he fired a third, a fourth, and a fifth arrow, and each one struck true. "Gods come and go, but my strength and deeds with echo throughout the ages, long after all of us have passed on! I am Lu Bu, and my power defies all logic and time!"

"...I don't believe it," Ji Ling said incredulously. "How am I supposed to tell my lord, who has given me 100,000 men to overtake this region, that we are to retreat just because you managed to hit an impossible shot like that!"

"Then it's a good thing your prince decided to tag along and witness it," Lu Bu replied bluntly before he handed the bow and quiver back to the attendant while another fetched his halberd and arrows. "If Yuan Shu doesn't even believe the word of the one who wants to succeed him, then I'll write a letter confirming it...AFTER we have a banquet to commemorate this truce."

The attendants once again came to the generals' aid, leading them to the tent where they would eat and drink and be merry, or at least as merry as they could be with Lu Bu intimidating them. Ji Ling and Liu Bei did not say a word to each other as they were escorted to the banquet, but Yuan Yao did not need such prompting to look forward to the evening. With a simple show of strength, Lu Bu had quelled his father's army without taking a life, and spared thousands of lives as a result. He knew that when he would become Emperor, Yao would be fortunate to even remotely emulate that show of power. He happily trailed Lu Bu towards the banquet tent, where he would eagerly ask his hosts of tales of his might and valor...

...until someone passed by the corner of his eye. It was only a fleeting moment that came to his attention, but it was often fleeting moments that turned the wheels of fate, and though Yuan Yao did not realize it at the time, this fleeting moment would be the push that would turn his wheel of fate into a gradual acceleration out of control. Though even if he had an inkling of what this moment would do to his life, it was unlikely he would do anything about it.

He fully turned his head to what caught his eye, and immediately his life was changed forever. Gone was the reason he came to this camp, gone was the eagerness to prove himself to his father, and even his admiration of Lu Bu's strength dwindled. Now all of his attention was fixated on...this woman. This perfectly crafted young thing wearing black armor, but left her luscious legs exposed for him to see. And her face...truly the visage of a goddess, with short light hair, jewel-like iris, and lips that silently beckoned him to turn away from his party.

Though Yao was still young, even he was not oblivious enough to the handsome looks that he was blessed with, and was quite popular with the women of the court. Moreover, there had been a few occasions where he would court the dancing girls and share tea with them, though never a bed. But this young lady, who danced with her weapon with such bravery and skill that she might as well have been wielding a paintbrush, defied all of the pleasurable company in his kingdom.

Yao carefully hid himself behind a tent and watched this stranger train as vigorously and skillfully as any man, wielding twin pikes that she soon put together to create a cross of blades that she proceeded to spin around over her head. Slowly at first, but soon the blades were spinning with such fury that the blades blurred into it was like she was holding nothing at all. All the while, her short war dress started to gradually elevate, revealing more and more of her legs...even going as far as her undergarments for a very brief moment.

Yao quickly turned away when he caught that glimpse, ashamed of himself for taking such lewd delights in a woman that he had never met. He did not even know her name, but how could he dare ask a woman such as this her name? Would a mortal dare ask a god their name and not expect to receive severe punishment? This woman of almost mystic beauty was wielding weapons that must have been almost as heavy as she was with such ease: what would sort of wrath would she incur upon him if she knew what he saw just now?

"Who's there!?"

The whooshing of the pikes suddenly stopped as the weapon came to a halt while her voice was directed at the tent Yao was behind. "You, behind the tent! Show yourself, or I will come over there and cut you in half!"

Yao steeled his nerves and revealed himself, believing in the woman's threat and deciding that if he were to be sent to the afterlife by her, it would be best to see his death coming rather than to have it take him when he wasn't ready. The youth bowed his head to the girl and introduced himself. "I am Yuan Yao, son of Yuan Shu, and I apologize if I upset you. I could not help but be mesmerized by your dance, for it exhibited the chill of the winter and the beauty of the spring."

The young lady seemed unimpressed, but at least now Yao could start with the sweet talk if he hoped to act upon his desires. She did not say a word, which Yao took as an opportunity to continue introducing himself. He spoke to her about his lineage, his father, his reason for being in the camp, and the exploits of the Yuan family name. With his political wit honed through years of sitting in his father's council, he assessed what she took interest in, and focused on those areas. What she seemed interested in most of all was his admiration for Lu Bu.

"...Master Lu Bu is truly a legend of our time. My father has had doubts about his sincerity, but after witnessing him make peace between my father and Master Liu Bei, I do not doubt that he will help bring prosperity back to this land," Yao celebrated his host's praises, to which Lingqi nodded in agreement.

"Our lord's pursuit of strength is an inspiration to all of us to who take up the martial arts. Even in these chaotic times, he is driven by the pursuit of self-improvement, and conquers everything that stands in his path. Even his own pride in his strength is nothing but a minor hindrance as he seeks perfection."

"Perfection...like you, my lady?"

There was the faintest twinkle in the girl's eye as Yao said that, and it did not escape his notice. Even a woman as heavenly beautiful as she had some sort of warmth, and it was here that Yao gained the courage to stare deep into her eyes and hold onto her hands. To his good fortune, she did not recoil or punish him for his forwardness. "My lady, Master Lu Bu is holding a fine banquet in one of the other tents. I would be honored if you would join me and share some tea."

"...my lady Lingqi?"

The girl turned away from the youth as she was called by her name, to where Lu Bu's strategist Chen Gong was waiting for her near the entrance of the camp. "Lingqi..." Yao repeated softly as he realized that in his eagerness to spend the night with this girl, he didn't even have a chance to ask her name. He repeated the name once more, and once he had her attention, he asked her what her name was in a proper fashion.

"...Lu Lingqi, daughter of our lord, Lu Bu..."

The words resonated through Yao's mind like a gong. Whatever belief he had that Lu Bu was of mortal origin dissipated as he realized that the goddess that walked into the tent at Chen Gong's behest was sired by none other than the man that his family could thank for the lack of bloodshed that evening. No mortal man could possibly be the father of one so breathtakingly beautiful, putting even the most brilliant flower to shame. And not only that, but she had the same aura of danger as her father, but it was the kind of danger that men would challenge in hopes of attaining fortune.

In Yao's case, what he sought to gain was a woman's heart, and a life of everlasting love and tranquility, in lieu of wealth and notoriety.

Yao followed Chen Gong into the banquet and finally joined his host. Ji Ling and Liu Bei were understandably not as eager to engage in merriment with each other as with the other guests, but other than the tension between two would-be foes, the party was agreeable. Lu Bu was a gracious guest, still intimidating but not overly aggressive and cruel after a few drinks, but overseeing the party to make sure that there was no foul play. Lu Bu's lover Diao Chan even performed a dance for the guests, much to the men's enjoyment.

But even the fabled beauty of Diao Chan did not hold Yao's interest for long, as the only person he had any interest in was the woman who quietly sat next to her father, eating sparingly and speaking only to her father. Every now and then she would glance in Yao's direction when speaking, but to Yao's good fortune, her father did not look to him with any menace. If he did, Yao was certain that he would meet a grotesque end for daring to lust for his daughter.

Yao enjoyed the meal and drink, but held off on indulging himself as he was necessary for Ji Ling to return to his horse and to the camp as he had become quite drunk. Lu Bu drafted his letter confirming the truce as promised, and Yuan Shu's forces prepared to return to their camp. However, as Yao waited for Ji Ling to make himself decent, he was approached by Chen Gong once more. Chen Gong's reputation as a clever man was known almost universally throughout the land, and was considered by Yuan Shu as a key reason why Lu Bu had yet to be put down like the animal he was. With a charming smile, Chen Gong bowed to Yao and referred to him by his honorary title of Crown Prince.

Yao returned the bow with a smile as Chen Gong stated his business. "I take it you enjoyed meeting with our lord's daughter Lingqi?"

Yao nodded his head but showed a hint of lamentation in his admitting this. "I feel like I have sinned by being so enamored by the daughter of such an esteemed general. No...even ignoring her bloodline, she carries herself with such strength and valor, that a humble prince like myself cannot hope to please her."

Chen Gong smile became warmer as he offered the young crown prince solace, for as a master of people, he was quite familiar with how a man acted when he was in unrequited love. "Lady Lingqi is very much like her father, and loves him dearly, so it is understandable that she would be cold to the son of one who would do our lord Lu Bu harm. However, I am sure that if relationships between your fathers improved, then even someone as aloof as her would warm up to your limitless affections to her."

"But how?"

"You leave that up to me, young master," Chen Gong replied as Yi Ling's retainers helped the drunken general onto his horse, and Yao prepared to leave the camp with both his father's general and the letter he carried in lieu of his sobriety. "For now, return to your father's kingdom, and look forward to the day where you and the Lady can enjoy the nuptial apartment."


	2. Signed in Blood

When Ji Ling and Yuan Yao returned to Yuan Shu's camp with news of Lu Bu's feat, he was none too pleased. As the man who would be Emperor, Yuan Shu was not a little bit drunk with power and was eager to rip apart those that would call him a traitor. "Does that fool think he can turn me away with this play acting?" he roared as he tore up the letter Lu Bu drafted for him confirming the truce. "If he is not with me, than he is against me! We will surround his camp and make him pay for his insolence!"

News of his father's continued mobilization of his forces did not please Yuan Yao, who absolutely could not rid himself of thoughts of Lu Bu's daughter Lu Lingqi and what may come of her should their force of 100,000 men attack her camp. He protested Yuan Shu's aggressive plan and reiterated how poorly the people would receive him if he were to immediately ignore a truce when it was not even a week old, and though it took some insistence, he succeeded in staying his father's hand. What Yao didn't realize at the time were that his actions were unnecessary, for Lu Bu himself was already considering breaking the truce in Yuan Shu's favor.

When Yuan Yao and Ji Ling left the camp, Liu Bei's forces celebrated heartily, singing songs of Lu Bu's bravery and decree from the heavens that peace would reign. Even the stoic Lu Bu cracked a smile and joined in on the festivities, inviting his family to the festivities. While this in itself was not uncommon, Lu Bu did not anticipate the jealousy that spurned from Liu Bei's oath brothers, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei. While Liu Bei was a man of virtue who recognized the debt he owed Lu Bu, his two oath brothers were not impressed.

Years before, when Lu Bu was still in the service of Dong Zhuo, the Flying General simultaneously engaged all three of the brothers in battle, and it was only when Lu Bu exhausted himself against the odds that he pulled back. However, the duel bought his lord ample time to gather his forces and turn back the coalition sworn to take his head. In their minds, Lu Bu was the reason that Dong Zhuo did not die that day, and a contributor to the chaos that continued to plague the people.

Guan Yu, like his younger brother Zhang Fei, had been eager to fight the traitor Yuan Shu, and was willing to put up with Lu Bu's arrogance if it meant having him help them in their quest to slay the warlord. Zhang Fei, on the other hand, was much less conservative in expressing his dislike of Lu Bu. Combining that with his fiery temper that only multiplied tenfold with his love of wine, Zhang Fei was less than lovable when dining with Lu Bu's family.

The trouble started that evening when Zhang Fei was sharing a drink with Lu Bu's father-in-law Cao Bao, who was under Fei's protection at Xia Pi Castle, and the oblivious gentlemen sang his lord's praises and exploits on the battlefield. Zhang Fei, drunk and prideful, responded by saying some very crass things about Lu Bu and the atrocities associated with him while he worked for the tyrant Dong Zhuo. The conversation turned into an argument, and the argument turned into a horrific drubbing that left Cao Bao a bruised mess.

Zhang Fei was in a mood that evening, and if his fabled Cobra Pike wasn't being kept in the armory, the beating would have been much uglier. Cao Bao hobbled out of the party and rode out of the castle in a panic. When Cao Bao arrived at Lu Bu's camp the next morning and told him of what had happened, Liu Bei begged Lu Bu to let him reprimand Zhang Fei, as he was under his command and should be punished under his rules. Lu Bu outright refused and dismissed Liu Bei, and immediately called a council into session without Liu Bei's consent or attendance.

"Liu Bei and his misfit brothers have outlived their usefulness," Lu Bu growled. "Without a single loss of life, I quelled unrest in this region and brought peace, and how does that ungrateful swine repay me!? By the time I'm done with that drunken ass, there won't be enough of him left to feed to the pigs!"

"...this is troublesome indeed, my lord," Lu Bu's second-in-command Zhang Liao lamented. There were exceedingly few people that Lu Bu listened to, being an arrogant man in his own right, but Zhang Liao was one of those rare warriors that Lu Bu held legitimate respect for. Though Lu Bu would never admit it, the two were loyal enough to one another that it would appear as if they had their own oath bond between them. As such, Lu Bu fell silent and listened to Zhang Liao's lamentation. "If we take Xia Pi Castle back from Zhang Fei, then we will certainly be waging war on Liu Bei, whose popularity will allow him to easily gain reinforcements...but if we do nothing, we will be allowing Liu Bei to do as he pleases, and thus look weak in the eyes of our opponents."

"This is why I do not like relying on other people to wage war," Lu Bu grumbled while his attendants prepared the map for which they would plan their next move. "If we lose Liu Bei, it'll be almost impossible to gain allies again, but I refuse to forgive this disgrace...curses! If only there was a way we could bring Yuan Shu to our side! He might be a power-mad fool, but with his forces on our side, we wouldn't have to have this debate!"

"...that option might still be on the table, my lord," Chen Gong piped in with that clever smile he wore when he was cooking up a scheme that would benefit his lord. The council turned to the strategist and let him speak. "Technically, you are still bound to Liu Bei and cannot attack him without looking like a villain to the Imperial Court...but there are more acceptable ways to sever ties with him. I am sure you remember Prince Yuan Yao?"

"...Yuan Shu's naive pup," Lu Bu remembered the young man who marveled at his greatness when he doctored the truce. "What of him?"

"As much of a fool as Yuan Shu is, it does not change the fact that he currently has the Imperial Seal, and as long as he has that, he could very well become Emperor in the very near future. Yuan Yao is his heir apparent, and when he rises to power, he will need an Empress...and it just so happens that you have a daughter of marriageable age," Chen Gong turned to Lu Bu's daughter Lingqi, who sat by her father's side as always.

Lingqi did not noticably react or object to Chen Gong's plan, but Lu Bu had his own reservations. "I am not against my daughter marrying a potential Emperor, but what little I saw of Yao did not impress me. He has bravery, but no ambition to use it. He has intelligence, but none of the wit to take advantage of it. His force was ready to engulf Liu Bei, yet he held no power at that meeting: I would not feel comfortable entrusting the safety and welfare of Lingqi to a naive boy like him."

"The Crown Prince is quite smitten with the lady, my Lord," Chen Gong pressed his case, and noticed that slightest twinge of femininity from the girl when he mentioned that. "So much so that if the two were to be wed, I imagine that Yao would do everything in his power to please her, especially with her father in peril and in need of his aid. Young men like him desire to be heroes, and what better way to please his fiancé by convincing Yuan Shu to provide us his full support in subjugating our enemies."

"...Lingqi, my daughter," Lu Bu pondered Chen Gong's words for a moment before turning to his only child, who turned to him with a twinkle of admiration. "What are your thoughts on this potential suitor?"

"...he is handsome, but physical beauty rusts with age, and cannot be reforged. He was very kind to me, but there is no telling how long that will last when he is given power," Lingqi admitted coolly, "but I would not object to giving him my hand if it meant pleasing you, father."

"What I want is for you to be happy, my daughter," Lu Bu retorted with rare compassion that he reserved only for his daughter and his concubine Diao Chan, who also sat at the council. "Alliances will come and go, but a marriage is eternal. Our forces are strong enough that we can afford for you to make a choice...so I ask again...what are your thoughts on him?"

"...I am a woman, and I realize my place in this army is to one day unite our house with a force that can realize our dreams for the land," Lingqi answered. "But I will refuse to yield my heart to anyone, until he proves himself worthy. I did not see that worthiness in Yuan Yao when he was here with us, father."

"Then we shall judge him," Lu Bu decreed, "and should he prove himself worthy, we shall welcome him into the family!"

A messenger was sent to Yuan Shu just as his forces were about to leave the area, and to say that Yuan Yao was elated with the marriage proposal was a grand understatement. Yuan Yao had not been an overly pious man, but after meeting Lu Lingqi, he prayed nightly that he would see her again and be given a chance to make her his wife. Now, his prayers had been answered, and to his good fortune, Yuan Shu did not seem against the idea. The hidden meaning behind the marriage proposal was clear: Lu Bu wanted to turn against Liu Bei, but he wished to do so by marrying into Yuan Shu's service and thus calling for the excuse of "family before allies."

It wasn't until Yuan Shu read the letter for himself that he had doubts about the authenticity of Lu Bu's intentions. Before he could comfortably cosign his only child to the service of the Yuan family, he wanted to make absolutely sure that she would be happy in Yao's arms when it came time for siring heirs. Therefore, he requested that Yao be escorted to an unmarked camp somewhere halfway between Yuan Shu's current position and the camp where the current truce was doctored. Once there, Yao would be assessed by Lingqi's caretakers, and determine if he was a suitable groom for this prized bride.

"This man is making a mockery of you, Lord Yuan Shu," one of the advisors told his lord as he finished reading the letter with the same snarl the lord would have when he was contemplating execution of another human being. "He speaks to you of a marriage alliance that would unite our forces, yet he refuses to devote to it unless the Crown Prince 'meets his standards?' Who does he think he is? You are about to become Emperor, and he is but a braggart warlord who lives off of reputation and superstition. He is an absolute buffoon when it comes to the political game."

"...where is my son?" Yuan Shu growled. When his advisors did not answer immediately, he ordered his men to bring his son to him so that he could discuss the matter with his considerably cooler head. It was rare that Yuan Yao left his father's side, so normally it would not be difficult to find him...but this was one of those rare instances. Much time passed before Yuan Shu's attendants confirmed that Yuan Yao was not at the camp, but was instead already en route to the location listed in the letter, accompanied by a small force of guards.

It was doubtful that the youthful Yuan Yao, who was now being driven completely by his heart's desires, would have heeded Yuan Shu's warnings. For while Yuan Yao was a much gentler soul than his father, he was still spoiled in a life of luxury where anything he desired was given to him on a whim. What he wanted more than anything was Lu Lingqi's hand in marriage, and when the messenger told him that Lu Bu's specific words that he would be willing to let Yao "into the family," it stirred Yuan Yao's heart like it had never been stirred before.

With great haste, he and his retainers rode into the camp where they received their instructions. They would be escorted into a small estate nearby, where Yuan Yao would be interviewed by Lingqi's caretakers to see if he would pass her father's lofty standards. Whereas his father was insulted that a Yuan would need to live up to the standards of a man of common blood, Yao understood the words fine. After all, Lu Lingqi was a goddess in a mortal shell, and her father sent from Heaven itself. If Yao was the one day rule under the Mandate of Heaven, he should naturally follow the mandate of one who fought on behalf of Heaven.

Yuan Yao stepped into the estate, but was not asked to hand over his sword. Usually this was a cause for alarm, as there was instances in the past where guests were invited into a home only to be assassinated by an ambush, with the assassins claiming that by allowing their victim to keep a sword, they would be dying with honor. Yuan Yao ignored this alarm, being driven solely by youthful lust, and was led into a large room while he fought to contain his excitement.

The doors closed behind him as he took a moment to look at the room. Though it was not nearly as large as his father's court, it had a modest amount of decor. The walls were adorned with artistically impress weapons and crests, with the banner of Lu Bu's forces hanging from each wall. There were several torches lighting the room, as the windows were not in abundance, but it was more than enough for Yao to see those who would be assessing him.

The object of his affections sat quietly and at attention in the center, wearing light armor and again giving Yao a full view of her clean, shapely legs. To Lingqi's left was Lu Bu's concubine Diao Chan, and to Lingqi's right was Lu Bu's strategist Chen Gong. "Thank you for coming with such haste, my lord," Diao Chan bowed her head before offering Yao his spot opposite of them. "Lord Lu Bu and Master Zhang Liao are currently engaged, so he sent us to meet you in his stead. Please, make yourself comfortable."

"At once, my lady," Yuan Yao answered enthusiastically as he too bowed and took his spot a few paces away from his hosts. Now that his nerves and youthful exhilaration had settled down, Yao finally took the time to seriously assess the situation he was now faced with. Neither Diao Chan nor Chen Gong were armed, nor had they offered him any food or tea with which he could be poisoned. The room was lit well enough that assassins would have great difficulty hiding in the shadows, and while it had enough room to move around freely, it was not high enough for archers to take point.

Additionally, his guards had been allowed to follow him into the room, where they took point opposite of his host's handmaidens. The only hint of danger Yao could detect was the sparkle in Lingqi's eyes while she put him to the visual test. Diao Chan took note of Lingqi's focus on Yao and giggled lightly. "Our lady seems to be quite curious about you, Prince Yao. She was not exaggerating when you said you were handsome, either."

"I...I am humbled by such compliments from two avatars of beauty such as yourself and lady Lingqi," Yao's cheeks flushed as he again brought his head to the floor, bowing so that his long locks covered his reddening face. "The day I met the lady was truly a moment of heavenly intervention. How fitting should it be that the day that Master Lu Bu brings peace between us without shedding a single drop of blood, is the same day that I am confronted with my destiny in the lady?"

"When we received word that you had accepted our invitation, young master, you told us that you were so moved by your encounter that it inspired you to write a poem," Chen Gong added as he again took note of any reaction Lingqi might give Yao's tender offerings. Much like her father, Lingqi was very cold to those that had not earned her respect, and had a heart that was stirred by only two things: her father, and her martial arts. "Would you be able to recite it for us?"

"Of course," Yao lifted his head and motioned for his guard to bring him the scroll in which he wrote the poem. The prince proudly spread the scroll across the floor, demonstrating a skillful writing which he recited with great emotion.

"Awe is what filled my mind this early eve,

As we were delivered from a terrible war we would bereave.

The decision of life or death hinged on a bet,

and what happened next I will never forget.

Lu Bu demonstrated Heaven's Will

As his arrow struck true on his halberd's frill.

By his decree, no lives would be ripped apart,

but that was not the only thing that touched my heart.

For no sooner had I prepared to bring this to lore,

Did I lay eyes on my Goddess of War.

Though I may be of noble birth,

the beauty of my Goddess questions my worth.

Hence from this day forth, alone I shall be in my bed,

Until the day comes where my Goddess and I are wed."

Yao paused as he looked up to see his host's reception to his poem. Diao Chan seemed to enjoy it if her warm smile was any indication, and Chen Gong nodded his head approvingly. But Yao's enthusiasm was tempered by Lingqi's perpetually even-tempered expression. It would seem that poetry and literature were not what stirred her heart, even when she was being hailed as a Goddess of War. Yao's confidence took a blow as a hint of doubt entered his mind on whether Diao Chan was telling him the truth about Lingqi complementing his features.

"Our lord pushed this proposal forward because your father is a very influential man, carrying with him the Mandate of Heaven that is the proof of leadership for the land as decreed by the heavens," Chen Gong finally said when he too noticed that Lingqi did not flinch. "It is our lord's hope that with you as the prince as with the lady as your bride, he and your father can finally quell the unrest in the land and bring order to the chaos. However, he would first like to know your opinion on the matter."

Yao pondered the questions carefully before speaking. "We live in an age where the mistakes and sins of politicians have turned China into a chaotic land where reason and logic are giving way to malice and bloodshed. However, where there are villains, there are also heroes, and the heroes are only now starting to gain leverage over the villains. Whoever emerges from the turmoil, they will no doubt have inherited a stronger, unified nation. The land is crying out for a hero because it is training...and when the training is over, China will have become mightier than any nation before it."

"You speak of heroes, my lord," Diao Chan added. "Please tell me your thoughts on Sun Ce?"

"Master Sun Ce is who my father can thank for the Imperial Seal...and who I can thank for being a friend since childhood," Yao spoke with honesty and praise, not hiding his admiration for the young warlord that at the time was in the process of taming the Southlands. "Though as generous and faithful as he might be, he is brash and reckless. Unless something drastic happens, I do not envision him being the one who emerge from the chaos."

"How about our lord's rival Cao Cao?"

"Cao Cao is merely Dong Zhuo with a refined creed. He uses the Imperial Court's favor to take what he wants from the land with no regard for who or what is destroyed in the process. The only thing that prevents him from meeting the same fate as Dong Zhuo is his talent for finding and placating loyal, capable officers, and the general confusion among the other lords"

"Master Liu Bei?"

"Liu Bei is a hero to the common people, with a strong reputation both as a leader and as a warrior. His two oath brothers have already earned notoriety, and his virtue was enough to sway even the heart of Master Lu Bu. However, he is indecisive on how he should achieve his dream of restoring the Han. Like Cao Cao, he attracts many capable officers who will serve him for the sake of honor and destiny, but it may be some time until it comes together for him, and I am not sure the land can afford to wait for that to happen."

"...what of your uncle Yuan Shao?"

Yao turned to Chen Gong and gave him a quizzical look, not sure what he expected him to say about family. But as his glance turned to Lingqi, Yao finally saw what was looking for: that slightest hint of interest in him. The only thing that even remotely stirred her heart in their last encounter was speaking of her father Lu Bu, but it seemed that Yao found something else that struck her fancy. With her silent approval, Yao pressed on and abandoned his misgivings.

"Lord Yuan Shao shares my family's noble bloodline, but he did not capitalize on conquest early enough. If he was to be the one to end the chaos, Hu Lao Gate would have been a victory for his coalition, and Master Lu Bu would have had to dirty his hands on Dong Zhuo's blood. If the land is still in turmoil now, I do not believe Lord Yuan Shao's place to be as Emperor, and sad to say, I do not envision my cousins' squabbles helping his fortunes."

"And your father?"

This time, Yuan Yao did not immediately take the bait, for even he was not hubristic enough to speak ill of his father when his men were watching his every move. Therefore, he worded his next statement quite carefully. "My father has what the other warlords do not, and that is the Imperial Seal. Sun Ce relinquished it to my father because he did not have the troops necessary to enforce the Mandate of Haven, and Cao Cao uses the Imperial Court to turn the warriors of the land against my family because he wishes to have the seal in his possession. All my father needs is a strong, reliable ally to quell the uprisings: a general of peerless might and courage that the Imperial Court can look favorably upon...and that general shall be Master Lu Bu."

"Not only gifted in beauty and art, but in politics, as well," Diao Chan said to Lu Lingqi, loud enough for Yao to hear. "Even if he wasn't going to be Emperor someday, you would have to be absolutely mad not to at least consider being this man's bride."

But Lingqi's expression still did not evolve past the slight curiosity that Yao used to speak about his family. The approval of Diao Chan, whose own beauty and intelligence were praised universally in all corners of the nation, when it came to matters of the heart was a high mark of honor that Yao should have held with the utmost honor. Unfortunately, it was not Diao Chan's heart that Yao was trying to move. But Yao was determined to impress the girl no matter the cost, and while he may have been hopelessly in love, he was not so ignorant that he could not recognize the one talent that his Goddess of War would acknowledge.

"Lady Diao Chan. Master Chen Gong," Yuan Yao addressed his hosts before turning to his hopeful bride-to-be. "My lady...I humbly apologize for my arrogance. I have spent so much time talking about trivial matters such as poetry and politics, and have ignored the very attribute that sets Lady Lingqi above the common woman. Though the lady is abundantly beautiful, true love cannot be sustained through physical beauty alone. It is for this reason that I now extend an offer for the lady."

With the clapping of his hands, Yuan Yao summoned one of his bodyguards, who fetched him a sword as he stood up and undid his armor, freeing his body of the weights holding it down and giving his guests a glimpse of the man he was beneath the expensive cloth and metal of a noble. With the sword in his hand, and the bodyguard returning to his station, Yao performed a rhythmic, focused demonstration. He may not have had battlefield experience, but Yao grew up around swordplay and dance, and considered himself a master of the arts.

The handmaidens within the room quickly understood Yao's intentions, and were quick to procure Diao Chan's musical instruments so that he may have a song to dance to. The song they played was familiar, and Yao was thankful for that, as it showed that his hosts empathized with him and were eager to see him succeed in his noble quest of winning Lu Lingqi's heart. Had it been his father, Lingqi would have had no choice in the matter and her hand would be taken by force, with no regard to her feelings. But as he had clearly showed from his interview, Yao was not his father.

Yuan Yao's dance with the blade told his hosts a good deal about the man he was, and how he was different from his father. The way he handled a sword was skilled, but it flowed through the air like a leaf rather than crash like a log. His footwork with swift and focused, but the feet were merely guides in the rhythm, rather than deliberate steps to the next point. The prince's temperament, though bright with love, was at the same time even and sturdy, while his father would use anger and hate to fuel his endeavors.

Yuan Yao gave himself completely to his demonstration, being careful not to be arrogant in his dance so that he did not offend his hosts. Through his dance, his love was tempered into a blade, and with that blade he could cut through any boundary. He was so lost in thought that he did not immediately realize that Lu Lingqi had left her spot next to Lu Bu's trusted officers, until she could feel her warm breath beating behind his neck, sending a very male tingle through his body.

"Continue."

The command was short, to the point, much like her father's commands on the battlefield, and Yuan Yao dared not defy it. Now she was dancing alongside him with a sword of her own, mimicking his every move with not a single wasted moment. Truly Lu Lingqi was sent from the heavens to be Yao's Empress when he inherited the Mandate of Heaven, for they moved with perfect synchronization despite how this was only their second meeting.

Eventually, Yuan Yao found himself the follower instead of the leader, as Lingqi seemed to anticipate his every step, until it was Yao following Lingqi's lead. It was a quiet reminder of Lingqi's hereditary talent for martial arts, being able to lead and inspire those who would think themselves leaders in their own right. Together the two danced, and in turn stirred the hearts of the others in the room. There was no denying it now: Yuan Yao had done what he had thought was impossible and stirred Lingqi's heart.

But then, the dance came to a screeching halt as Lingqi's expression suddenly hardened into the killer glare that she inherited from Lu Bu, turning to Yao at the exact same moment as he turned to her, and knocked the blade out of his hand. Whatever mental paradise he had found himself in, Yao was quickly yanked out by the loss of his sword, and was so shocked that he tripped over himself and fell to the floor clumsily. Lingqi was quick to capitalize, and pointed her blade at his chest while giving him that lethal glare.

"Lady Lingqi," Diao Chan stood up with surprise and a hint of anger. "What is the meaning of this?"

"You are not my mother. Watch your tone," Lingqi held up her hand before turning to Yao. "He is handsome, he is wise, he is skilled in the arts, and is from a powerful family...but he lacks the one thing he needs if I am expected to follow his lead." With her free hand, Lingqi pointed to the sword that had fallen to the floor. "The steel of a weapon can take many forms, but only when it has been tested in battle is its worth apparent. Lord Yao should have easily been able to read and disarm me...and until he does so, I will give him my hand, but not my heart."

At this point, Yao's guards were put on alert and moved to attack Lingqi, but Yao waved them off as Lingqi gently poked the blade into his abdomen. Then, with the same delicate motion that Yao used to write his poetry that declared his love, so she drew a line across his body for her own declaration. The blood that dripped from the scar was like ink from a brush, but Yao maintained that his guards hold true as Lingqi branded him with a reminder of his inadequacy. Given who her father was, he counted his blessings that was all she did to him.

But once she finished making her mark, she looked into Yao's eyes with a more feminine, captivating stare, clearly not done making her impression on him. She leaned down, pressing herself against him and his rapid heartbeats like Red Hare's galloping, and whispered a poem of her own in his ear.

"Even though you are fair to behold,

Today, your ambitions were much too bold.

You expect me to be your Empress,

but I cannot fully love a man who is less.

Let this scar be your promise of what could be,

for until surpass...you shall forever belong to me."

Lingqi dismounted Yao and told her caretakers that it was time to return to her father's camp, and that her future groom needed care. Chen Gong took full responsibility for cleaning and dressing Yao's wound, and apologized repeatedly for her insolence. Again, the reactions illustrated the differences between Yuan Yao and Yuan Shu. Swift executions would be had for everyone in that room who did nothing to stop Lingqi from scarring the holy body of a Yuan should he find out, but Yao assured Chen Gong that he would keep this a secret. The story would be that Diao Chan and Chen Gong had decided that Yuan Yao would be Lu Lingqi's groom, and would return to Lu Bu's camp with the news.

As Yuan Yao back to his father's camp, the stings from the wound were darts of ecstacy that flowed through him. Now, more than ever, he was looking forward to spending his days with Lu Lingqi, for she would drive him to become not only a great leader, but a great warrior that would win her heart and fulfill her desires.

Little did Yuan Yao know that promise Lingqi engraved into his body would drive him to follow other paths that he wouldn't have even given an inkling to had he not been bewitched by his Goddess of War...


	3. Hearts Ruptured

Yuan Shu and Yuan Yao returned to their castle upon the young prince's return and honored the truce doctored by Lu Bu, at least officially. Unofficially, Yuan Shu kept a very small contingent housed in some of the nearby villages surrounding Xia Pi castle, in case Lu Bu decided to reconsider his arrogance and provide the Yuan family with their future Empress. When Yao returned to the camp with his heart aflutter and his hair unkempt with sweat, Yuan Shu assumed that his son's interview was so successful that the bride-to-be decided not to wait for the official wedding and give Yao a preview of what would be in store for him in the nuptial apartment.

In reality, Yuan Yao carried with him a wound which acted as his secret pact to one day surpass his father's petty ambitions and his pledge of loyalty to his Goddess of War. Regardless of what sort of praises he sang of his father to impress Lu Bu's retainers, Yao was wary of Yuan Shu long before he watched the arrow fly through the halberd. The man who held the Imperial Seal had a long history of wrath and jealousy for those that he perceived as acting above their station, even noble types like the late Sun Jian. Even if Yuan Shu did succeed in becoming Emperor, the low opinion of him would not end the chaos.

To make matters worse, Yao was certain that even if his father did manage to eliminate his rivals, his innumerous grudges to the various lords would give reign to a dynasty that would make the current Han look like an age of prosperity in comparison. It was for that reason that Yao looked forward to becoming Emperor and played along with his father's wishes up to that point, for once his father took the throne, it would be up to him as the heir apparent to seize power should those nightmares become a reality. He might have played to be a loyal son, but after what he witnessed at the camp upon his return, Yuan Yao was certain that his destiny to one day be Emperor would be in spite of his father and not in favor of him.

Just as Yuan Yao returned with news that Lu Bu's retainers had decided that he was a suitable candidate to unite the Yuan family with Lu Bu, another messenger came from Lu Bu's camp, now stationed at Xia Pi Castle. The report explained that Lu Bu had reconsidered the nature of their truce, and that he would be better off having Yuan Shu as an ally. Therefore, he took the initiative to capture Xia Pi Castle from Liu Bei and sever ties with him after his officers made fools of themselves, but Liu Bei cried foul and was taking refuge with Cao Cao while they planned an attack. Given Yuan Shu's humiliations suffered at Cao Cao's hand, it would be best if they cooperate and deal with their mutual foes.

Yuan Shu responded by telling his forces around Xia Pi to stay put and await further instructions, and let Lu Bu starve until he doctored a more formal apology for his insolence. Yuan Yao again argued for Lu Bu's favor, but was unsuccessful in procuring more troops for his future in-law. When the Yuan family returned to the castle, Yuan Yao's disappointment was evident to his retainers and caretakers who only knew him as a youth of light and merriment. His interest in politics and calligraphy was neglected, and instead he devoted himself entirely to the martial arts.

Yuan Yao was already skilled with a sword, but it was extremely difficult to endure the sort of training he wished to subject himself to without his father reprimanding both him and the other guards for. There was one session where Yuan Yao demanded that one of the guards come at him as if he meant to take his head, and when the guard reluctantly obliged, the session caught the attention of one of the retainers unaware of the situation. The guard was immediately reported to Yuan Shu, and was executed regardless of Yao's protests.

Another incident occurred with Yuan Yao stepping onto the archery field and deflecting arrows with his sword. It was a simple enough exercise, with the arrows being depraved of their tips. Then after enough time passed, Yuan Yao asked his men to shoot the same sort of arrows at him that would be used to kill soldiers. Having already seen what happened to the guard that Yao ordered to his death, the archers refused and left the prince to continue training with less urgent methods.

There was only so much in Yao's mind that he could do if he wished to meet his bride's expectations, so he went before his father and requested that he receive proper military training. "The Yuan family has protected the name of the Han for generations, and our bloodline can be traced to kings," Yao flattered his father before getting to the heart of the matter. "I am on the precipice of becoming a man, and you of becoming the Emperor. As a man, there must come a time when I step out of the suckle of my parents and provide for the family. Should I not do so under the banner of our military and inspire our troops?"

Yuan Shu was not impressed with his son's pleasantries. "Before we wasted our time in the Jizhou region, you thought nothing of military affairs. You were content entertaining the ladies in waiting with your poetry and dance, and thinking of this war as little more than a game of go. What is the true reason for your sudden interest in the battlefield? What sort of poison did that dog Lu Bu defecate in your ear when you visited his camp?"

"Even when you become Emperor, the land will not be satisfied immediately. Please remember, father, that Cao Cao still has the favor of the Imperial Court, and Liu Bei is looked favorably upon by the people. Both of these men are our enemies, and should we defeat them with Master Lu Bu, we will not be immediately received with adulation. It is for this reason that I must prepare to lead our armies and show my worth as a hero. If I am who the people can look forward to as Emperor, then they will more readily accept the Yuan family as they who operate under the Mandate of Heaven."

Yuan Shu sat on his throne and pondered Yuan Yao's words for a moment before asking the opinion of his advisors sitting at his side. "It is true that the prince has yet to establish a reputation on the battlefield, and proper military training would be beneficial if he is to one day be your successor," said Chen Ji. "However, his recent strange behavior in the castle had rubbed many of the officers the wrong way. I think it would be best for Yuan Yao to continue focusing on his political studies, as that is his strongest attribute. We have established generals to lead our forces, as well as you, our Emperor. We cannot afford for the prince to risk harm to himself in this crucial of a stage."

"...I agree," Yuan Shu nodded his head before dismissing his son.

Yuan Yao could not hide his disappointment when his father forbade him from any more impromptu appearances in the military camp, and was forced to settle for the martial arts teachers that agreed to teach him in private. He was unable to find a reasonable explanation for his delayed debut as a military commander, other than that his father was overly reliant on their family name and how their place should be outside of the front lines, where peasants and common blood were left to die on the battlefield. And yet, Yao lamented the dead end that his life of luxury had led him, for his beloved Lu Lingqi fought alongside her father and dove into the battlefield like a hawk with no concern for trivial things like bloodlines and nobility.

Yuan Yao's increasingly longing behavior led him to withdraw himself in isolation, training with every weapon available to him in the royal armory with or without the consent of his father. With great palpitation he awaited the reports of the Battle of Xia Pi, waiting for his father's order to send Lu Bu their aid and honor their marriage alliance. Master Lu Bu was a warrior without equal, and when Yuan Yao became Emperor, he fully intended to make Lu Bu the Supreme Commander of his Imperial army...but Yao wasn't sure that even he could defy the odds against the combined might of Cao Cao and Liu Bei.

It wasn't just the prince that had doubts about his father's good intentions, either. Yuan Shu had addressed to his court that now that he was Emperor, he would establish a new dynasty completely separate from the Han, and had already named an Empress to rule alongside him. Yet when the officials asked about the marriage alliance from Lu Bu's side that would ensure future generations when his son succeeded him, he merely scoffed at the idea and said that if Lu Bu were to perish at Xia Pi, there would be other prospects from other ambition warlords with daughters. Thanks to this nonchalant dismissal of an ally in need, Yuan Shu's other allies started to doubt if he was someone to rely on should their camp be attacked.

The days passed, and the alliances dwindled, and while it has been said that absence makes the heart grow fonder, the cherry blossoms of Yuan Yao's heart started to wither and thirst for the love reserved by the pact. News of the battle of Xia Pi continued to darken his outlook, and Yao strongly considered leaving his father's castle and leading an independent force to come to his Goddess' rescue. Finally, when it seemed absolutely certain that Lu Bu would fall if he did not receive help, Yuan Shu relented.

"Tell Lu Bu that if he wants our help, it will come...but only after he delivers what he has promised us. We will send reinforcements once he personally delivers his daughter to our territory, where she will be wed into the Yuan family and our alliance is sealed. Until that happens, he will just have to hold out."

The message was delivered, and they received word that Lu Bu agreed to these terms. Lingqi would arrive at their palace via carriage, and Lu Bu would personally ensure that it escaped the battlefield intact. With his heart flickering like a candle about to go out, Yuan Yao quickly rushed to the end of their borders and awaited his Goddess of War's arrival. No doubt she will have slain many enemies in her noble defense of her father's castle, unlike Yao's father who insisted that he stay behind the safety of the castle and let the peasants fight it out amongst themselves.

When Yuan Yao arrived his army's point closest to Xia Pi, his presence made an immediate impression on the other soldiers. The gentle youth who wrote songs and poetry to please his father's court had gone into full retreat, and the reinforcements that arrived was a disheveled young man who must have trained himself into absolute exhaustion. His entire body was hard with training with any weapon he could find, and his eyes spoke of a man desperate for absolution from his mortal sin of abandoning the woman that would be his wife. "How goes the battle for Master Lu Bu," he asked once he reached the outpost.

"Poorly," the officer overseeing the post responded. "It seems we may have allied with the wrong general. As brave as Lu Bu is, he can only inspire his men so much in a situation as hopeless as the one he is in now. More and more of his men surrender with each passing day, and his forces have been unable to drive away Cao Cao's forces. Currently Cao Cao is in the process of flooding the castle: it is doubtful that Lu Bu will hold out much longer unless he receives help now."

"Then we must act quickly," Yuan Yao declared, withdrawing his sword and pointing it towards Xia Pi. "As soon as Lady Lingqi arrives in our care, we will send every man we have to Xia Pi. The tyrant Cao Cao and the pretender Liu Bei shall rue the day they crossed the Yuan family, and with Lu Bu in our debt, we will wipe out the enemy and finally put an end to this damnable war!"

And so Yuan Yao put the outpost on high alert, making preparations for his forces to launch an immediate assault on Cao Cao once Lingqi's carriage reached the agreed point. Yao would deal with disobeying his father's direct orders not to engage in combat once Lingqi's safety was assured, but he would not let his father-in-law die in despair. A warrior that brought peace from Heaven's Will deserved a much nobler end, gallantly charging headfirst into the echelon of heroes, and Yuan Yao would do everything in his power that Lu Bu reached that point.

The sun fell and gave way to night, and the flames of the battle of Xia Pi were visible even from the post so far removed from the battle...and finally, a horse approached with what appeared to be a carriage, wearing the colors of Lu Bu's forces. With much elation, the blossoms of Yao's heart again opened their petals as he raced down from the post and greeted the soldier...but the petals immediately wilted when he realized that the carriage was almost completely destroyed, crushed and slashed with its body splintered into pieces.

Yao opened his mouth to say something, but the look of disappointment and defeat in the soldier's face told him everything he needed to know. Entering the camp, the soldier was approached by one of the guards and asked about news of the battle. Though words came out of the soldier's mouth, the air of dread drowned out anything that Yao could take from his report. Had he been aware of his surroundings, he would have heard that Lu Bu fought valiantly to protect the carriage, but the attacking force was so thick and unrelenting that he was unable to free Lingqi from the chaos of the battlefield. Soon afterwards, Xia Pi finally fell, and Lu Bu was executed by Cao Cao.

And though it was a half a day's travel away, Yuan Yao felt himself die on that battlefield along with Lingqi, who almost certainly shared her father's fate given Cao Cao's strong dislike for Lu Bu and his ilk.

Yao's world started to go dark and his mind began to shake in response to his heart shattering like clay, and he stumbled into his tent wondering what to do next. To say that he had been eager about marrying Lu Lingqi and calling Lu Bu his in-law was as much of an understatement as saying that snow was cold. Whatever meaning his life had immediately took a sharp turn when he met Lingqi, and the scar she gave him started to ache as terribly as an arrow wound. He couldn't even bring himself to cry, for everything that made Yao who he was rapidly sealing shut.

It was too much for him to bear, and Yao looked to the sword at his hip and did not try to fight back the urge to end his suffering forever, but before he could take his own life, he was saved by a faint voice, too quiet to determine the direction, but more than familiar enough for Yao to make sense of it. "Do you still love me," the voice sang with the gentle hum of the wind.

"My lady," Yao's eyes widened as he tossed down his sword and looked out his tent, looking for the voice that called out for him. "Where are you? Please, my goddess, I beg of you show yourself!"

"Do you still love me," the wind hummed again.

"With every fiber of my being," Yao affirmed, still wandering around the outpost looking for where his bride might be. "Every passing day I am apart from you is like another day in a lifeless pit."

"Then why did you leave me? My father?"

"I...I had no choice," Yao answered bitterly, the tears finally starting to form in his face. "I cannot disobey my father, for he is now Emperor. His word is law, and even I cannot break...it's his fault..." Though they were tears of sorrow when they first formed, they rapidly turned into tears of hate that flowed down his cheeks while he went to his horse. "It's HIS fault. He is the reason your father has perished. He is the reason Xia Pi Castle has fallen!"

"...do you still love me?"

"I do," Yao nodded his head as through the broken tatters of his once gentle heart, a stronger, deadlier disposition revealed itself, "and now I must do what I should have done the instant I was prevented from being at your side..."

And so Yuan Yao, driven by voices with no source and a mind raging out of control like a tempest, raced back to his castle without saying a word to any of the guards at the outpost. Once he entered the castle walls, he dismounted post haste and made his way to his father's throne room. At the time, Yuan Shu was privately preparing yet another attack on the neighboring warlords, as Yao's childhood friend Sun Ce had entered their territory without a clear motive. Yuan Shu at first ignored his son and continued planning, but Yuan Yao would not be denied.

With a gentle smile, Yuan Yao kneeled before his father and used honorifics. "Venerable father, our mighty Emperor..."

Always fond of having his ego stroked, Yuan Shu looked up from his map and saw his son bowing before him. "What brings you to my chambers at this hour, my son? Come to try and pull my hand to helping the ruffian again?"

"There is no longer any need for that, father," Yao said with his smile widening. "I have just received word that Lu Bu has been executed by Cao Cao, and his forces crushed. You were right all along, my liege...they were nothing but common filth, unworthy of diluting our noble bloodline."

Yuan Shu smiled at his son's manners, as he had become concerned that Yao's title of crown prince had given him a sense of entitlement to defy even the most basic laws that a son should listen to his father. As his son lifted his face to reveal his smile, Yuan Shu allowed him to stand again before Yao continued with his generosity. "I understand you have been concerned about my isolation: that is because I have been painstakingly pursuing a new sword dance to impress you with. With news of Xia Pi's fate, I have found the inspiration to complete my masterpiece. I would like to share it with you before I retire for the evening."

With his father's permission, Yao removed his sword from its hilt and danced a familiar dance, losing himself in his passion for the girl whose promise was still branded onto his body without his father's knowledge. Weeks had passed since he received the wound, but for whatever reason, it had not fully healed despite not being a particularly deep cut. Yao did not want it to heal, for now he was drawing strength from his Goddess of War as he entertained his father with his finest dance yet.

The torches were burning low as the night reached its darkest hour, and Yuan Shu was finally starting to show fatigue. It was here, when his father yawned deeply, that Yuan Yao brought his dance to its climax. With a lunge following a spin, Yao thrust his sword to the throne and pierced his father's body, skewering his heart with the blade emerging from his back and sticking against the back of the throne. The expression on Yuan Shu's face said everything that needed to be said about the situation: wide with shock and horror, and his mouth gently by Yao's hand as blood filled his throat.

"This, father, is my greatest work yet," Yao said with a grin while he watched his father's struggles slow, until they stopped completely. Watching the life drain from his eyes, the prince closed his father's eyes forever while he recited a requiem in his father's ear.

"Cold became my heart and my soul,

When I would forever be denied my humble goal,

My bride, my Goddess, held in my arms,

forever subject to her beauty and charms.

But in my grief, I found a glimmer of hope,

that my Goddess and I could still elope.

She whispered to me and told me what I should try,

And she said henceforth, all of her killers must die."

Yao pulled away from the dead Emperor and took a moment to absorbed what he had just done. Even though Yao was not particularly fond of his father, he had always been a loyal and obedient son: it was unlikely that anyone would believe that the prince murdered Yuan Shu if he told a good enough cover story. But then...why would he need a cover story? In the eyes of the people, Yuan Shu was a tyrant and a stain to the Han Dynasty. If Yuan Yao claimed a coup, there likely would have been enough allies willing to take him in should Yuan Shu's loyalists cry foul?

And then it finally occurred to him the gravity of the situation that went beyond politics. Mild-mannered Yuan Yao had just murdered his father.

A slight tinge of panic came over the youth and he backed away from the throne and looked at his handiwork. He would need to act fast before the guards checked on Yuan Shu's well-being, being Yao was not strong enough to hide a dead body in the throne room without making some sort of commotion. The crown prince racked his head and tried to come up with some sort of plan...and like his dances, inspiration came in the form of a voice in the wind.

"Beautiful...you are beautiful, my Emperor..."

"...you flatter me with your words, beloved," Yao said to the disembodied voice coming from the shadows of the room and his mind. "Tell me your desires, and I shall fulfill them."

"You cannot die...not while you still love me..."

"And I shall not," Yuan Yao reassured his Goddess of War as his eyes fell to the map his father has been working on before he found a sword through his chest. "One fortunate truth about these chaotic times is that even the most aggressive of sins are forgiven so long as one has the proper recompense to impress those he has wronged."

Yuan Yao quickly procured that recompense and memorized the location marked on the map, leaving behind his father's body to rot until someone else stumbled across it. As the heir apparent, Yuan Yao was now the Emperor that his father envisioned him being someday, though likely not ascending to the throne the way he did. With that title came confidence and resolve, and he quickly made his way to the horse and rode off once again into the night. His destination: the camp of his late father's enemy and former ally, Sun Ce.

While Sun Ce's late father Sun Jian and Yuan Yao's late father did not get along in the slightest during the campaign to put Dong Zhuo to death, the two sons made pleasantries with no difficulties. When they were still children, the two would often play together in the camp while their fathers conferred on battle strategies, and that friendship endured even as they became men. In fact, Sun Ce personally thanked Yuan Yao for advocating for him when he requested soldiers and horses from Yuan Shu to provide a foundation for an army, telling Yao that if he was ever in need of help, to not hesitate to call out to him.

When Yuan Yao came to Sun Ce's camp located near his castle, no doubt preparing for an assault on Yuan Shu, he informed the guards that it was time to make good on Sun Ce's offer. Carrying his offering in a straw bag, Yuan Yao was escorted to Sun Ce's tent, where the drowsy commander heartily greeted his old friend with his strategist Zhou Yu, who was also an acquaintance during their younger years at Hu Lao Gate. When the three sat down in the tent and inquired what brought Yuan Yao to them at such a late hour, Yao opened the bag and allowed his father's head to fall to the table.

"Why do you recoil, Master Ce?" Yao took note of Sun Ce's uncomfortable recoiling from when the head rolled over to his side of the table. "This is what you came to my father's territory for, isn't it?"

"No...no, this isn't what I came here for, Yao," Sun Ce said through a cold sweat as he looked at the head still dripping with blood. "The Imperial Court told me that I needed to stop Yuan Shu, but I owed him a lot. I was hoping that I could get him to surrender, and then I'd offer him a spot in Wu in exchange for the Imperial Seal. I didn't...Yao, what's going on? This isn't something you would do."

"...I fell in love with a daughter of a rival warlord," Yao said solemnly. "But even after I was promised her hand, my father willfully ignored our marriage alliance, and allowed them to die at Cao Cao's hand. You know firsthand what kind of monster my father was, and after that I could not bear to obey him any longer. My father...no, that traitor needed to be brought to justice, and I have done just that. By offering you his head, I have saved the lives of my men and yours."

"You would not have given this to us if you did not expect something in return," Zhou Yu replied calmly in contrast to the awkward tension in the tent. "Tell us, Lord Yao...what is it you want from us in exchange for the head of the traitor Yuan Shu? Surely you did not think our lord so narrow-minded that he would have put you to death, as well..."

Yuan Yao nodded his head and held up his hand still stained with his father's blood from when he covered his mouth, back when it was still attached to the body. "This blood does not belong to my father, nor does the head I have brought you. Yuan Shu was only my father purely due to the fact that he sired me, for no father would deny his son the happiness that awaited me if not for his arrogant delusions of grandeur. Henceforth, I forsake my nobility and forsake my title of Emperor, for without an Empress, it is a meaningless seat."

Yuan Yao once again pulled out his sword, still dark with the blood of his father's heart and neck. Zhou Yu reached for his own weapon in case this clearly troubled youth sought to attack their mutual friend, but instead Yao turned the blade onto himself. Yuan Yao's resplendent hair was famed throughout the region, but the fallen Emperor made clear his attentions by grabbing onto his long braid and quickly cutting it off with a sawing motion, throwing the braid on top of his father's head while what remained of his hair fell freely down his neck.

"As married men, ask yourselves what you would do if harm were to befall either of them. Would you too not call for the heads of those that hurt them? Would you too not call for the throats of those that, by extension, hurt you? All I ask of you, my lord, is an opportunity to right the wrongs done to my heart and put an end to the chaos that spoiled my love. From this day forth...allow me to serve in your name, under the banner of Wu!"


	4. Prayers in Vain

Yuan Shu's headless corpse was found shortly after the head left the castle, and his forces immediately fell into disarray. Even though Yuan Shu's allies had been dwindling since he officially declared himself Emperor, and the way he refused to give Lu Bu his aid despite their marriage alliance not helping matters, Yuan Shu's fortress was not a place where an enemy could breach as far as the throne room without making some sort of commotion. Additionally, Yuan Shu was not a man who could be so easily overcome that he would die without anyone paying mind to it for so long. By the time his guards checked on him, there was no telling how long he had been dead.

The castle would not have to wait long to discover his killer, as their crown prince arrived at the castle gates the next morning with Sun Ce's forces as his escorts. A meeting was immediately called into session, where Yuan Yao placed his father's missing head on the table. "Towards the end of his life, my father had begun to lose grip on reality. He openly defied the Han who we have served for generations and willfully alienated his friends in pursuit of a title for which he was not ready. As the heir apparent to the throne, it is my duty to seize power should our ruler be deemed not fit to lead our armies, and with Cao Cao's forces decimating our ranks in the north, it was not a difficult decision to make."

As expected, Yuan Shu's advisors objected and immediately branded Yuan Yao a traitor, calling for the guards to arrest their lord's assassin. Unfortunately for them, the guards agreed that because Yuan Yao was the heir apparent, he was now the head of the household and thus could not be harmed by them. In retaliation, Yao ordered the guards to arrest the advisors for insubordination. "The next man who defies my decree with be branded a traitor and executed. Test me at your peril," he decreed.

From that day forth, Yuan Yao seized complete power over the castle and prepared his forces for integration with the Kingdom of Wu, citing the rapidly changing times and unpopular opinion of the Yuan family name's reputation as reasons for their surrender. There was discontent at first, but their leader was quite firm in his resolve and reiterated that it was better to surrender to Sun Ce, who owed the foundation of his army and territory to them, than to Cao Cao or Liu Bei who saw them all as traitors to the Han. But as willing as he was to surrender the Imperial Seal back to the capital where it belonged, Yao realized that the Seal was little more than a trinket with the heroes being separated from the pretenders and the clarity of the warlords that would still be around when the dust settled. To that end, he had terms of surrender that he expected Sun Ce to abide by.

The first decree would be that there would be no executions of his men unless it was under his direct consent. Regardless of how he felt about his father, Yuan Yao was still greatly respected by the men and women of the castle and it was of firm belief that they would follow him wherever destiny may take him. Even Yuan Shu's most loyal retainers recognized his royal blood and though they might have done so under protest, Yuan Yao believed that they too would follow him. Should they rebel, Yao would deal with them personally.

The second decree would be that any ally of Yuan Yao's forces that Sun Ce intended to conquer, Yuan Yao would be sent as an ambassador to negotiate their surrender. Without Yuan Shu as the trunk, the other branches were sure to die anyway, and Yuan Yao would prefer that the branches at least had the option of surviving. There were a few dissenters who, like Yuan Shu's advisors, saw Yuan Yao as an usurper that needed to be dealt with, but they were quick to reconsider when the combined forces of Yuan Yao and Sun Ce threatened to swallow them whole.

The third and final decree would be that Yuan Yao would receive from Sun Ce what his father would not give him, which was a formal battlefield position. No matter what Yuan Shu thought of his potential on the battlefield, Yuan Yao strongly believed that the only way he could "repent" was by proving his worth in Sun Ce's campaign. When Yuan Yao brought these conditions of surrender to Sun Ce, he immediately beamed with pride that the pampered boy he used to play with had finally become a man.

"I've lost count of how many days I've wondered when you and I would finally be able to fight side-by-side," Sun Ce said proudly as he prepared to formally recruit the ex-prince into his service. "Now that we're together, there will be nothing that we can't achieve. The nation is as good as united now that I have you working for us!"

"Stay your hand, my lord," Zhou Yu interjected, bringing confusion to both Yuan Yao and Sun Ce. The strategist turned to Yuan Yao with a considerably less jovial countenance. "Master Yao, while we are grateful for your voluntary surrender and resignation from the throne that your father refused to forfeit, I am afraid that bringing you into our army is not as simple as our lord would make it."

Zhou Yu then proceeded to explain the complications that would come from Yuan Yao becoming a soldier, at least immediately. Whereas Cao Cao used the intimidation of the court to demolish any sort of competition that kept him from expanding his territory, and Liu Bei did not have enough land where he could afford to accumulate territory through diplomatic means, the kingdom of Wu had reached a point where they had a different approach to conquest.

While it was true that military might was important, Sun Ce's reputation had grown to a point where there were many lords who willingly gave their services to him, because Sun Ce's talent for recruiting warriors allowed his allies to enjoy the protection of one of the strongest armies out of any of the warlords. If Yuan Yao, the son of one of Sun Ce's greatest threats Yuan Shu, was seen being used as fodder on the battlefield, other lords would believe that Yuan Yao was forcibly drafted in lieu of execution despite having no military experience.

"That is a rubbish excuse, for I already know what it is like to take the life of a fellow man. Did I not slay my tyrant of a father and deliver you his head?" Yuan Yao protested angrily. "Zhou Yu, I am disappointed and betrayed by your words, for you were once my classmate learning the art of sword dance and knew firsthand of the talent that we shared. Why should I not prove my worth to the state of Wu, the same way the others you have recruited have done?"

"Because the others we have recruited were not the crown prince," Zhou Yu replied with the bluntness of a mace. "I urge you to more carefully consider the situation you have placed yourself in by ruling the house of Yuan through assassination. Even if you return the Imperial Seal, you still hold yourself directly responsible for all of your father's forces and assets. If we were to give you a military consignment now, you would be burdening and alienating your father's generals. If you were not there to guide them, the castle would be in disarray and a revolt might break out."

Zhou Yu waited for Yuan Yao to absorb what he was being told, and then continued making his case. Yuan Yao was not the only child that Yuan Shu had sired, for Yao also had a sister who had yet to be married off to another lord. Given the trouble that Yuan Shu had caused the Sun family over the years, and the outrage he had stirred up with his scheme to become Emperor, Zhou Yu advised Sun Ce to add an additional condition to the surrender. Yuan Yao's sister would be wed to Sun Ce's younger brother Sun Quan, and by extension Yao would be inducted into the Sun family as an in-law.

The consequences of this marriage would allow Yuan Yao to hold an important seat in the court of Wu, which would almost certainly include military affairs. Yuan Yao might have had courage in abundance, but someone of his nobility and rank would be far more influential commanding from the court rather than from the front lines. Sun Ce agreed with this notion, but promised Yuan Yao that he would receive military training from Wu's finest officers if he was so hellbent on learning the art of war.

Yuan Yao was hesitant at first as his heart was set on honoring his late father-in-law by becoming a demon on the battlefield, but in the end relented and the two came to an official agreement to bring the house of Yuan Shu into the Sun family. The news of the surrender of the house of Yuan quickly spread across the land, and Yuan Yao found himself quite busy as he traveled from lord to lord explaining the terms of the surrender of his forces. Zhou Yu was correct: Yuan Yao's strongest asset was his voice in the world of politics, and his negotiation skills spared the lives of many men.

But even though Yao received high marks from the people of Wu for abilities in diplomacy, still his heart ached to one day lead his own force into battle. The loss of his fiancé would cause him great suffering during his idle time, for his Goddess of War would not have been happy marrying a man who preferred using the court and the quill as his weapons while others were slain on the battlefield. Even though Yuan Shu was dead, his co-conspirators in the death of Lu Bu were still very much at large, and his Goddess of War would not be sated unless they were sent to her in the afterlife to meet their eternal punishment.

His very dreams were a torturous hell of heartache and sorrow, bringing to him visions of his lost love and the father-in-law he envied for his unlimited might. They would chastise and belittle him, condemning him for his cowardice and lack of conviction. Though he dared not mention his dreams to any of his retainers, Yao's mind threatened to unravel at any moment, and so he took measures to sate the ghosts that haunted him while he could still act consciously.

The young lord created a shrine to honor Lu Lingqi, which in itself was not uncommon, but with that shrine came a strange series of prayers and rituals that Yao innovated to be used exclusively for the Goddess of War. He devoted himself to his studies of Sun Tzu's legendary Art of War scriptures, and used that as the basis for his deviant religious practices. This would not be a simple grave to be visited, mourned over, and forgotten about. This would be Yuan Yao's personal site of penance, where he would pray and draw strength from in the times of duress and tribulation that were sure to follow.

"The Goddess of War and Boundless Wrath,

Please guide me through the Proper Path.

Through your example, I will thrive

And those who are evil will not survive.

Until the day comes when your killers lay dead,

I will not rest as long as they still have their head."

With his opening prayer, Yuan Yao bowed deeply in respect to the twin halberds he placed in his quarters in a cross position, doing his best to emulate the uniquely lethal weapon that Lu Lingqi would bring with her to the field of battle. Lu Lingqi carried with her a unique fragrance that was deeply ingrained in Yuan Yao's memory, resembling the scent of a lily in the spring. To that end, he scoured his royal garden from the lily that shared that scent, and gathered up as many of them as they could. From these lilies, he would maintain a private garden from which he would draw incense.

He realized that he would also need a shrine that could be transported to different villages depending on where his new lord asked him to go. To that end, he would borrow pikes from his guards and hold them in his quarters until he could return to his home and pray properly. He would offer tribute to his Goddess of War by offering wine in the same cups used in wedding ceremonies, for they were to be married before fate ripped them apart. Then he would take a drop of blood from the scar on his belly and place it in the cup, say an additional prayer, and then drink the sake along with the blood within it.

With this ritual, the nightmares lessened in fervor and fright, and Yao found the strength to continue pressing onwards in aiding Sun Ce tame the Southlands while his sister was prepared for her own wedding ceremony. Yuan Yao, reinforced in his unwavering faith in his Goddess of War and the love and mercy she granted him as he sought to tame his father's former allies, soon rediscovered his smile and alleviated the concerns of his retainers that he had succumbed to the madness of the era. The common folk in the castle received him with adulation when he visited their villages, and his talent for the arts once again became evident now that he had found his muse in the form of his deviant religion. With his enthusiasm came an improvement in morale, and this in turn greatly aided the Yuan family's transition from nobles of the Han to officials of the fledging kingdom of Wu.

Yet despite his eagerness to prove himself, Zhou Yu forbade Yao from venturing into hostile territory, reminding him that he still did not hold a military position. While Yao silently cursed these wishes as it violated his sacred creed of absolution through battle as mandated by his Goddess of War, on the outside he happily complied and resigned himself to sparring and training in the courtyard. As much as he loved his Goddess of War, Zhou Yu was Sun Ce's chief advisor and another childhood friend, and would one day be a valuable ally for his day of reckoning.

But tragedy began once more when Yuan Yao returned from one of the neighboring regions and noticed that a very heavy contingent of Sun Ce's forces had gathered in and around the castle. Sun Ce for the most part had given Yuan Yao almost complete control of how he should handle bringing the remainder of Yuan Shu's forces to their cause, having him answer only to himself and Zhou Yu, and Yao had done nothing to openly raise cause for alarm. Perhaps a retainer had gotten wind of Yao's secret shrine and reported him mad to their new lord?

Yuan Yao raced into his throne room with concern in his heart, where he saw several of Wu's officers sitting down with enough doom and gloom emanating from them that it was as if a storm of depression was building up. Yao had allowed Sun Ce to use the throne room in his absence, and still being a young man, every so often he would use it to hold banquets with his officers or potential allies. Instead, the merriment was completely absense, replaced with a terrible dread that made Yao quite uncomfortable.

Yao approached Huang Gai, a giant of a man who served faithfully as Sun Jian's right hand officer for years before pledging his service to his son Ce, and inquired about the situation. "Why is there such a cloud of somberness in my throne room? Lord Sun Ce would pity us if he saw the state we are in! Come, Master Huang Gai, regale us with tales of how you and the Lord's father subjugated the Yellow Turbans!"

But the Wu general's eyes of sorrow told Yao that now was not the time for such pleasantries, and his words spread the plague of sadness onto the youth. "We are somber, young master, because we are afraid. Our lord Sun Ce has fallen gravely ill, and the chances of his survival dwindle each passing hour he is not here to brighten our hearts. Even our lord's brother and sister have gathered to your castle, for they do not expect our lord to last the week."

The idea of Sun Ce, a warrior of almost unparalleled bravery and jest, succumbing to something as mundane as an illness, was inconceivable to Yuan Yao, and he threatened Huang Gai with insubordination for daring to think such things about the lord. But Huang Gai did not defend himself, for the thick cloud of heartache that nearly choked Yao to death was now taking hold of the mighty general, making him seem like a far cry from the man who could throw a man several yards away with one arm.

Yao had to confirm this for himself, and so he quickly made his way into Sun Ce's quarters, where he confirmed the worst with his own eyes. Gathered around the bed-ridden Sun Ce were his younger brother, Sun Quan, and his younger sister Sun Shang Xiang. Ce's wife Da Qiao cried weakly in the corner, and his advisor Zhou Yu frowned silently in a dark corner of the room while he comforted his own wife, the lord's sister-in-law Xiao Qiao.

"...sorcery," Yao hissed as he stepped forward, shocked by the weakness and frailty prevalent in his childhood friend's face. Kneeling down to Sun Ce's side, Yuan Yao tightly gripped his hand that pathetically drooped over the bed and gripped onto it tightly. "This is sorcery! Nothing as common as a mere sickness can possibly turn our mighty Sun Ce into this. My lord...my lord, you must fight! You vowed that we would unite the land together! My lord!"

"...Yao," Ce wheezed as he opened his eyes and turned to where his friend knelt beside him. "Yao...my friend...I'm so glad you're here. I was sad that I...was going to join my father without saying goodbye to my favorite training dummy..."

"You're not going anywhere, my lord," Yao replied sharply as he fought back the urge to weep alongside the rest of the forces of Wu. "I have finally finished uniting all of my father's kingdom and resources into joining your ranks. With this, you finally have an empire with which you can build Wu! What sort of depraved kingdom would our state be without you, our fearless and noble leader, to guide us into the new age against Cao Cao?"

"Cao...Cao won't be taking that lightly, my friend," Sun Ce smiled weakly. "But I'm..I'm happy that you came. I wanted to talk to you..."

"I am here, my lord," Yao answered with a bow of his head.

"My little brother..." Sun Ce addressed Sun Quan, who quickly came to his bed and answered. "Sun Quan...take good care of Yuan Yao after his sister marries you. I don't think she...she will be much fun if you treat him poorly."

"You have my word that the Yuan family will not be unwell, brother," Sun Quan promised. "As our esteemed in-law, Yao will be promised an important seat in our court, and will be treated with all of the dignity and respect that our noble Sun family can give him!"

"This is...this is not necessary, my lord," Yao protested. "I need only the comfort of you, my friend, and I am content! Please, my lord, you must live! How can...how can I go on after not only losing the love of my life, but one of the most loyal friends a man can ask for?"

"You...you just stop whining," Sun Ce tried to brighten his smile and pulled away from Yao's grip to gently bop him in the face. "You were a mess when you came...and look. You're healthy, you're focused and you're...you're going to have a bright future in Wu." Turning away from Yao and looking to the others in the room, Sun Ce issued his final verdict before falling into his final slumber. "Stay alive...and stay...happy. No...crying..."

News spread quickly of Sun Ce's demise, and try as they might, the people of Wu could not obey Sun Ce's final verdict. Many tears were shed that evening, and if an enemy were to attack them then, it was doubtful that even their military might and valiant warriors would have been able to stop them with grief hindering even the most basic of motions. The only man who stood firm among Sun Ce's camp was Sun Quan, who wiped his tears and ordered for the immediate withdrawal from the castle. Now that what remained of Yuan Shu's empire had been assimilated by Wu, it was time for their leader to return to their capital of Jian Ye.

The next day was spent preparing Sun Ce's body to be transported back to the capital while Yuan Yao attempted to gather his wits to say farewell to his castle. The loss of Sun Ce so soon after the loss of Lu Lingqi multiplied the darkness in his heart tenfold, and all of the prayers and rituals he could think of did very little to ease the pain. "My Goddess...my beloved," he wept in his privacy of his quarters, surrounding himself in the cloak of night. "I beg of you...make it stop...this agony is more than my humble soul can bear. Please...please, guide me through this misery."

As his tear fell into the wine he poured for his prayer, mixing with his drop of blood, the cold winds of night suddenly swirled through the room, chilling Yao's body along with his heart. Yet as before when he had given himself to despair, he was again absolved by a voice in the wind. His prayers were once again answered as he inadvertently discovered the missing ingredient that would now man his rituals truly effective.

Yao heard his name called out to him, too quiet to discern the direction, but unmistakable in its origin and intention. "My Emperor...My beautiful, brave Emperor," she hummed to her loyal follower, bringing him to alert as he wandered through the darkness so that he could find what his heart ached for. "Do not cry, my Emperor. A warrior has no room for tears...when there is still war to be won, and lives to be avenged..."

"Y...yes, my love," Yuan Yao wiped away his tears once more and attempted to regain his poise. It had been so long since he had heard her voice, not since the passing of his father Yuan Shu, even though he had given his blood as tribute for the shrine. But as much as he loved his Goddess of War, Yao could not let go of the material friendship he had lost. "My Goddess, your generosity is boundless, and your deliverance rescued me from a terrible fate...but what of my friend? Why has his passing crushed me like your passing? Have I...have I been unfaithful?"

"Sun Ce was weak..."

"...no...no, my love, you cannot be so cruel," Yuan Yao protested at his Goddess' callousness, his grief clouding his judgment further. "Sun Ce was...Sun Ce was a brave warrior, and would have been a great ally to our cause! You musn't say such things about my friend...I beg you, my love! Spare my heart once more, so that I may serve your every whim..."

"Sun Ce was weak...are you weak?"

"...I am strong," Yuan Yao answered, wiping his tears once more and hardening his face. "When I am with you, there is no feat I cannot reach. When I am with you, there is no obstacle I cannot overcome. When I am with you, there is no deed I cannot achieve." The youth disrobed to leave his scar to flinch in the cold night air, so that the voice could bear witness to the vow he still held dear. "When I am with you, my Goddess of War...there is no enemy that I cannot behead."

Yuan Yao reached for the sword at his hip and pulled it from its hilt, looking at his reflection when the clouds parted and the moon shone into his quarters. But it was then, where there was just barely enough light to discern shapes, that he saw her. His Goddess of War, as beautiful as the stars themselves, staring back at him through the reflection of his steel. Fear gripped his mind, but his heart raced with passionate excitement as her arms very gently wrapped around his body.

"Do you still love me?" the Goddess whispered in his ear.

"With no boundaries or reservations, my lady," Yao answered.

"Then know this...very soon, my killer will appear before you. If you slay him, I will be pleased...and I will do everything in my power, to please you more."

Yao took a sharp breath as he felt her own breath brush against his ear. But he grew greedy in his longing, and when he went to turn around to finally embrace his Goddess of War...she was not there to receive it. He groped through the darkness, hoping to find his beloved, but there was no one else in the room. The youth quickly returned to his shrine, and noticed that the wine cup was now completely empty without him drinking its contents as he normally would.

The next morning, Yuan Yao bid farewell to his castle and traveled with Wu's caravan to his new home. The somberness of losing Sun Ce still hung heavily over the Wu forces, but Yuan Yao's grief was purely superficial. In his mind, Sun Ce's passing was the final ingredient he needed to effectively call forth his bride and guide him once against through his despair. But he made a vow to never force his lady to appear, for she had made him a promise to fill the void in his heart only after he fulfilled his original promise to bring justice to those who had killed her.

For that vow, he came up with one final poem,

"My Goddess of War, the love of my life,

my sole reason to end this strife.

Forgive my arrogance and accept my succor,

Never again will these crimes occur.

My prayers and rituals are all in vain,

for prayers alone, nothing I will gain.

For only in action, will you be my bride.

It is only one promise that you can be by my side.

If we are to one day join our breaths,

I must find your killers, and put them to death."


	5. Betrayal at Chi Bi

Sun Ce's body was returned to Jian Ye, and a proper funeral was held for the fallen lord, but Sun Quan realized that there was no time to sob over the dead when a new life awaited him and his people. As soon as the proceedings were finished, Sun Quan took immediate steps to mold the Kingdom of Wu to suit his leadership. While Sun Ce focused the efforts of his armies in offense and expansion, Sun Quan focused his efforts on maintaining order and security in the expansive empire that his father and brother had created.

To that end, he was declared the Emperor of the sovereign state of Wu, creating a kingdom that operated independently from the Han. The repercussions of this declaration sent immediate shockwaves throughout the nation as the various warriors and generals came to the realization that it was time to pick a side. They could either join with Cao Cao, who held the Han Emperor's favor and was the de facto leader of government, or they could side with Sun Quan, who separated himself from the old nation to create an independent state.

The marriage of Sun Quan to Yuan Yao's sister stirred a great deal of controversy, for Yuan Shu's reign of terror and treason were still fresh in the minds of the people. As ruthless as Cao Cao was in swallowing up provinces, could they really trust a man who would join bloodlines with the late despot? The unrest was shared by Sun Quan's advisors, which made Yuan Yao's immediate participation in Wu's newly established Imperial Court a necessity. Sun Quan was merely ahead of the curve in accepting what Zhang Jiao declared when he started the Yellow Turban Rebellion.

The Han was dead, and it was time to move on and rebuild.

Sun Quan enforced his new mandate by strengthening the defenses of his newly formed empire, taking advantages of the eclectic mix of experienced general and hungry young officers to whip his army into shape so that they can be prepared for whoever might try and take their land. He additionally brandished his authority in the court and assigned positions to individuals that he could trust, and made his late brother's longtime confidant Zhou Yu their supreme commander of the military while Sun Quan tended to local affairs.

As for Yuan Yao, he was given the position of power that Sun Quan promised him by giving him a loud voice in his court, relying on him to advocate for the other prefects in the region and convey the Wu Emperor's wishes to them in terms they could agree with. "Sun Quan is nothing like my father, nor is he like Cao Cao. As a sovereign state of Wu, we only wish to live in peace, away from the chaos and turmoil that turned the once proud Han Dynasty into a dystopia," Yuan Yao explained during the court's first official meeting. "If you are not comfortable with this, you are welcome to leave, but know that we do not intend to have you break apart from us."

The early struggles of a new nation soon ended, and there was order and harmony in Wu, at least internally. Outside of the state's borders, the chaos was as brutal as ever. Not long after Xia Pi Castle fell, Yuan Yao's uncle Yuan Shao was defeated by Cao Cao, expanding Cao Cao's power exponentially to a point where there was no question that he controlled the largest army in the land. Liu Bei realized at that point that Cao Cao could not be trusted with his well-being, and took steps to separate himself from his forces.

Cao Cao did not appreciate this perceived betrayal, and so gave chase to the "defector" Liu Bei and his followers. By this point, however, Liu Bei's popularity with the commoners had risen to where he was not only hailed as a hero, but their savior that would deliver them from their state of poverty and famine. Thus, when Liu Bei managed to finally break free from Cao Cao's pursuit and head eastward, they brought with them many peasants and villagers who followed him to the kingdom of Wu.

Sun Quan welcomed Liu Bei's forces and followers with open arms, inviting them to the capital and treating them as the guests of honor. Sadly, pleasantries were short-lived as Liu Bei used his welcoming party to plead his reason for coming to Wu. "With a heavy heart, I served Cao Cao's ambition so that I may keep watch on him and provide the moral reasoning that he so willfilly ignores. But when I learned of his diabolical plans for this sovereign state of Wu, I could not serve him any longer. I beg of you, noble hosts, lend me your ears so that I may warn you of his evil!"

Thus, a meeting was held at the Imperial Court, and with Liu Bei's trusted officers accompanying him, the hero made his case. "My good people, who have taken in myself and my friends in my darkest hour, I come to your land in the east bringing terrible news. The traitor Cao Cao, my sworn enemy and yours, has created the Pool of the Black Tortoise to train a naval fleet to cross the river separating Wu from him, and take this kingdom as his own!"

There was a commotion in the court as a mild wave of panic swept across them. Wu had long anticipated and dreaded the day where Cao Cao would come and subjugate them, attempting to add their territory to his. "We have nothing to fear," Sun Quan assured the court before turning to Liu Bei. "You were right to turn to us for shelter. Cao Cao may have a large army, but we have tamed the East and our navy is one of the best in history. What reason to you have to fear when we can turn him away with ease?"

"Not as easy as you might think, my lord."

A voice casually interjected, raising Sun Quan's eyes in anger as he looked to see who dared step out of line in his court. Clearly not caring for Sun Quan's obsession with formality, an unknown man stepped next to Liu Bei and bowed his head. "Please forgive my lack of manners, my lord. I am Zhuge Liang, Liu Bei's chief advisor, and rest assured that we would not have troubled you if we believed that you could handle this yourselves. Unfortunately, this is not the case."

Before Sun Quan could ask this stranger what madness possessed him to openly admit his lack of faith in Wu's military strength, another member of the court stepped between them and bowed his head. "Lord Sun Quan, please heed my brother's words," Sun Quan's council member Zhuge Jin pleaded. "My brother may seem impolite, but he only has the best interests of Wu in mind. If he claims that we are in danger, then we would be ignoring him at our peril."

"…your brother?" Liu Bei and Sun Quan said almost simultaneously.

Zhuge Jin turned to his younger brother Liang and smiled. Now that he had brought it up, the family resemblance was almost uncanny. "I am glad to see that you have finally found a lord to service, little brother," Zhuge Jin beamed with pride as he looked at how regal Zhuge Liang looked standing next to a hero like Liu Bei, in his own lord Sun Quan's court. "Please, tell us what we should do against Cao Cao's impending attack. We will take your advice into great consideration."

"Thank you, elder brother," Zhuge Liang bowed before turning around to face the court. "When we say that Cao Cao is coming to destroy Wu, we do not say this because we lack faith in your army. We do so because Cao Cao's resources are just that expansive. He has unified much of the northern region at an alarming rate, and has been planning to invade for quite some time. If Wu were to ignore what we have to offer and challenge Cao Cao head-on, the casualties would be catastrophic. Therefore, we would like to propose an alliance to stop him, and possibly capture him."

Yuan Yao's eyes lit up at that prospect. Cao Cao was the sworn enemy of his venerable idol Lu Bu, and defied Heaven's will to defeat and execute the Flying General. If Wu were to apprehend Cao Cao, Yuan Yao would be in a prime position to personally execute the villain as the brother-in-law to Sun Quan. Surely then his Goddess of War would be sated and he would finally be able to hold her in his arms and engage in the acts of passion promised to him.

At this prospect, Yuan Yao stepped forth in front of his in-law and sang the praises of Liu Bei. "My lord, I recommend an alliance with Liu Bei with my highest seal of approval. Tales of his valor and virtue were prevalent even when my father took up arms against him. Now that I am a part of Wu, I strongly advocate that we make him our ally, for with his virtue comes charisma, and with that charisma comes talented officers that could prospectively serve our kingdom. Doing this will further popularize our kingdom and weaken Cao Cao's influence."

Sun Quan looked to his in-law, then to Liu Bei, and then back to his in-law before nodding his head in approval.

"In order for this to work, we will need spies to win Cao Cao's favor and manipulate his navy to suit our counterattack," Zhuge Liang declared as he turned to the court. "Cao Cao's fleet is growing to the point where it will require a tiered strategy to overcome it. If one foundation falls, the others will crumble, and the plan will be lost. In respect of security, I will consult with Master Zhou Yu for the candidates. I trust this will not displease our lord and host Sun Quan."

"I will allow it," Sun Quan confirmed. "What of the plans to capture Cao Cao?"

"After the plan has succeeded, the Wu army will proceed to decimate Cao Cao's fleet. Cao Cao will be sure to flee when he realizes that his vaunted navy has failed him. That is when my lord Liu Bei's forces will execute the ambush. Though they are fewer in numbers, my lord has succeeded in attracting talented generals and officers that easily rival that of Cao Cao's. We should have no trouble capturing the enemy commander and bringing him to justice."

"That's right," the boisterous Zhang Fei interjected loudly, stepping to the front of the court with no regard for propriety or formality. "My brothers and I have built our reputation as warriors who overcome daunting odds. Like Zhuge Liang said, there may not be a lot of us, but each of our officers are worth a thousand of Cao Cao's lot! My lord brother, tell them about the time we cornered that rat Lu Bu and stopped him from scurrying away at Xia Pi!"

Yao's soul swirled black at the blaspheming Zhang Fei, though not because of his prideful boasting in front of the court of Wu. He knew that Liu Bei sided with Cao Cao after Lu Bu dismissed him, but he was not aware of the direct role he played in Lu Bu's defeat. Was it possible that the hero Liu Bei was in truth the heartless villain who put his Goddess of War to death? Liu Bei was a man that Yuan Yao legitimately respected, and wanted to make sure that his crimes were genuine before including him in his scheme for revenge.

"My brother," Liu Bei smiled nervously with embarrassment. "I do not think that this is the time and place to talk about-"

"Please, Master Liu Bei," Yuan Yao stepped forward and smiled politely, masking his ill intent. "I too am curious as to how my father's late ally met his end, and I believe that telling the court of how the indomitable might of Lu Bu was overcome by your ingenuity and bravery."

"Yes…thank you, Master Yao," Liu Bei nodded in gratitude before turning to Sun Quan. "It is true, Lu Bu's military talent was difficult to triumph over, but my men were able to seize the day when we saw a carriage leaving the castle. We had heard rumblings from our spies that Lu Bu was planning to permanently ally with Yuan Shu after he took Xia Pi castle, and reinforcements supporting his forces would have been quite troubling."

"And that's when I came in," Zhang Fei boasted proudly. "Lu Bu came out to personally escort that carriage past the enemy lines, but I defied that rat and turned him into a mouse. You should have seen his face when we wrecked his carriage, screaming curses and threats like he was actually going to do something about it! He fled back into his hole until we flushed him out, and then victory was ours!"

Yuan Yao trembled like an earthquake as his fiance's killer finally revealed himself, arrogantly parading around his sin like he had done something heroic. His heart screamed for murder most foul, begging him to lunge forward and strangle the general and rip the beard off of his face. His scar burned with fire as it told him to rip out Zhang Fei's heart just as he ripped out Yuan Yao's, and then take a hearty bite out of it. But his mind, which thankfully won out for the sake of all parties involved, told him something different.

"…is something wrong, brother-in-law?" Sun Quan asked as Yao continued to vibrate.

"My…my apologies, my lord," Yuan Yao wiped the sweat from his brow and turned to his lord. "I was merely envisioning what was being described, for I once met Lu Bu in person and saw his bravery for myself. It must have been a spectacle indeed to have seen his wrath after Zhang Fei boldly overcame his wrath to complete his mission. With such a warrior on our side, there is no way that Cao Cao can possibly breach our defenses."

And so it was settled: Liu Bei and his men would be under the protection of the kingdom of Wu, and together they would prepare for Cao Cao's attack. The court parted ways and returned to their stations, each with a task assigned to them in order to prepare for the plan. But Yuan Yao, having openly defied his heart and his scar, immediately retreated to his quarters and roared in self-loathing. Lu Lingqi's killer had appeared before him just as she prophesized, yet he did nothing to quell the ache in his heart. He had shamed his Goddess of War, and the heartache returned as fresh as it had when he heard news of Xia Pi's fall.

He remained there for a long time before he finally re-emerged and went back to the court, where he ran into an unfamiliar individual who didn't look like he belonged at so important a location. "Ahhh…just the man I was looking for," the man nodded his head before motioning to the courtyard. "Let's talk a walk, Master Yao. There's something I'd like to talk to you about, if you'd be so kind as to give me a moment of your time."

Yuan Yao accepted the offer and the two walked into the courtyard where the ears of Sun Quan were not as open. The man introduced himself as Pang Tong, an unaffiliated strategist who was looking for a lord he could serve. While Zhuge Liang held a good deal of notoriety in the kingdom for how he made a mockery of Cao Cao's forces when he first joined Liu Bei, Yuan Yao had heard tales of Pang Tong's intelligence with equal praise. Pang Tong was nicknamed "the Fledgling Phoenix," and it was said that any lord who acquired his services would never need to look for another strategist again.

"I am humbled by your presence, Master Pang Tong," Yuan Yao recognized the strategist's skill and bowed in respect. "What brings you to the kingdom of Wu?"

Pang Tong then proceeded to explain that his presence in Jian Ye was one of fate. After hearing good things about the sovereign state of Wu, he traveled with Liu Bei across the river and decided to offer his services to Sun Quan. Unfortunately, Sun Quan was put off by Pang Tong's homely appearance, and so dismissed him without listening in full to what he had to offer him. "You must forgive my brother-in-law, Master Pang Tong," Yuan Yao apologized on behalf of his lord. "He is under a great deal of duress, for Wu has yet to be tested with a force as powerful as Cao Cao's fleet. I am sure if you are given the opportunity to prove yourself, things will work out."

"And that's where you come in, my friend," Pang Tong said with a smile as he laid out his plan. "You see, Master Zhou Yu has been looking for volunteers to infiltrate Cao Cao's camp and pull off our little scheme, and he thought that little ol' me would be inconspicuous enough to convince Cao Cao to chain the ships together. If he does that, his men won't succumb to sea sickness…but that also means that if something were to happen to one of the ships like, I don't know, an uncontrolled fire with the wind blowing in the wrong direction…"

"…then the entire fleet would be set ablaze," Yao replied with a mischievous grin. "What is it you would have me do, Master Pang Tong?"

"Well, I'm sure you realize how risky it'd be if I put myself in Cao Cao's favor and then it was discovered that my intentions weren't noble…so I would like it if you, as Lord Sun Quan's brother-in-law, could put in a good word for me should I be allowed to participate in the strategy." Pang Tong responded with a wink and a nudge. "I'm sure you a sharp-tongued prince like you could do something as simple as that for a guy who's sticking his neck out for the higher-ups, am I right?"

Yuan Yao pondered Pang Tong's request, and came up with a scheme of his own. It would be simple for Sun Quan to overlook Pang Tong's appearance deficits if Yuan Yao was able to come up with a strong enough case, which was simple for him thanks to his sister being the Wu Emperor's wife. But with revenge on his mind, Yuan Yao wondered if perhaps he could use the debt Pang Tong owed him to help him in his noble quest.

"If I argue a direct dismissal from the Emperor if he has already decreed that you are not suitable for service, I too would be risking my livelihood," Yuan Yao explained, hoping that Pang Tong would take the bait. "If I am to do this, I would ask that you help me with a matter involving the battle that has me concerned."

"Ah-ha…Master Yuan Yao has a few schemes of his own, eh?"

With Pang Tong's interest piqued, Yuan Yao looked to see if anyone was listening in before speaking to Pang Tong with utmost secrecy. "Master Zhang Fei made quite the impression on the court when he boasted about Xia Pi, but sadly it was not a good one. There are many of us who believe that Zhang Fei needs to be taught a lesson in humility, but it will be difficult to do so before the battle. I was wondering, if it is not too troublesome…mayhaps Zhang Fei be taken down a step or two when it comes time for swords to clash?"

Pang Tong rubbed his chin thoughtfully before nodding his head. "Zhang Fei is brave, but not the sharpest sword in the armory, if you catch my meaning. He will likely come into play when the plan has succeeded and Cao Cao tries to run away. But he's also a bit of an oaf when it comes to people skills, and like you suggested, there are people even in his own army who don't like him. If we were to sour opinions on him by telling him to guard the wrong spot on the field…"

Such a suggestion was all Yuan Yao needed to spill his own contributions to the plan. At the strategist's meeting, Pang Tong volunteered to head north into Cao Cao's camp, where he would pledge his allegiance to the lord and suggest binding his ships together with chains. He would be bringing with him Huang Gai, who would feign defection after a very public flogging at the hands of Zhou Yu, and set one of the ships on fire. Then Zhuge Liang, after praying at an altar constructed at the southwest, would summon a southern wind to feed the flames and more quickly spread the fire.

Should the plan be successful in all stages, Cao Cao's fleet would be burned to cinders and his invasion literally going up in smoke. At this point, Liu Bei's forces would come from the rear and corner Cao Cao, eventually overtaking and capturing him. But it would be here that Yuan Yao would implement his secret plan. In the evenings building up to the fateful day that Cao Cao's fleet would arrive, Zhang Fei indulged himself in wine while Yuan Yao's co-conspirators showered him with praise. Then once his ego and drunkenness had reached their peak, Yuan Yao sowed his seed.

"Your brothers are brave and valiant, but I feel they wrongly receive praise that should fall solely on your strong shoulders. Guan Yu has been called the God of War, and Liu Bei the Hero of the People…but who was it who stood alone at Chang Ban, frightening off Cao Cao's army with but a threat and a shout?"

"That's me," he said proudly.

"Truly a crime that your bravery goes unaccredited…but if you were the one to catch Cao Cao from the northeast instead of the northwest, and trap him in a pincer attack, you would not only be brave, but praised for your intelligence. Even Masters Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang would sing songs of your cleverness, and you would not only have the eternal gratitude of your brothers, but of our lord Sun Quan!"

Zhang Fei agreed and Yuan Yao formally introduced him to Pang Tong, who nodded his head and took him someplace where they could private exchange strategies. The agreement between Pang Tong and Yuan Yao would be that Zhang Fei would be positioned in the Northeast, but Pang Tong would "forget" to inform Zhuge Liang and Zhou Yu of this change in plan. Then when Zhang Fei deviated from the plan, he would receive severe reprimands from Liu Bei for disobeying a direct order. This would result in loss of trust and influence in their military, humiliating Zhang Fei and harming his reputation.

But Yuan Yao had further duplicity planned. It was decided that Cao Cao would likely be touching down at the cliffs of Chi Bi, and with that knowledge of the terrain in mind, Yuan Yao would venture alone to the northeastern hills with a bow and quiver. Then when Zhang Fei arrived onto an empty battlefield, Yuan Yao would take aim and shoot the confused general off of his horse with a single arrow. Once Zhang Fei fell, he would travel down the cliffs and, upon performing the ritual for execution as dictated by his Goddess of War, take his head and offer it to her.

Yuan Yao scouted the future battlefield days prior and decided that it was foolproof. It was high enough that he would avoid being seen by either camp, and suspicions of foul play would be minimal given that it would occur during the thicket of battle when the burning fleet had brought the fight to a frenzy. As the expected day of battle loomed closer, Yuan Yao diligently trained his archery so that he would not miss, for Zhang Fei was still a mighty warrior that wouldn't stay still long enough for a second try. When it came time for reckoning, Yuan Yao believed himself ready.

Yuan Yao made his way to the northeastern hills and set up his camp, away from the keen eyes of Cao Cao's watchmen and Wu's scouts. He was far enough removed from the battle that either forces wouldn't pay attention to him, but close enough to clearly discern individual figures. Soon Cao Cao's fleet made its way into view, and Yuan Yao immediately realized why Liu Bei panicked and fled to Wu when he caught wind of it. Thousands of warships, sailing in unison with death and murder on the minds of every crew member. If the plan failed, Zhang Fei's head wouldn't be the only thing lost.

Eventually, Cao Cao himself arrived on the scene and set up camp, and the torches lighting his camp gave Yuan Yao the point of reference he needed to avoid revealing himself with torches of his own . Zhang Fei would flank them from the northeast, while Guan Yu would cut off Cao Cao at the northwest. But unfortunately for Liu Bei's forces, no one would bother telling them about the pincer attack, because Zhang Fei would be shot down and beheaded long before he entered the field of battle.

Once the ships crossed into Wu's territory, they were immediately besieged by Zhou Yu's forces, and the battle was joined. Cao Cao held an immediate advantage over Wu, as thanks to the ships being chained together, Wu's seafaring experience was rendered helpless, and many lives were lost in the first wave. But then the southern wind began to blow, as Zhuge Liang promised, and that was when the plan truly revealed its splendor. Huang Gai showed his true colors and turned on Cao Cao's forces, starting the fire that put the fleet in flames.

Thus the counterattack began ,and Yuan Yao was put on high alert. The forces of Wu easily overcame the confused enemy, and Cao Cao quickly realized that the invasion was a complete disaster, and if he did not act quickly, it would be his last battle. The warlord quickly started pulling his troops back into a full retreat, and this is where the moment of truth arrived. The sound of horses racing for Cao Cao's capture gradually began to fill the air, and Yuan Yao waited...and waited...until...

"HERE WE GO, MEN!"

Yuan Yao nearly jumped out of his skin as the bellowing voice of the man he would have slain came from a completely unexpected and unwelcome direction: directly behind him! Quickly turning around and loading his quiver, the former prince's eyes burned with hellish fire as he steeled his nerves to shoot the general right in the face, but instead he was met by several dozen men running at him with their swords drawn, threatening to push him down the hill along with them!

Yuan Yao muttered a prayer of strength to his Goddess of War and a promise that he would not die before charging forward and making his last stand. Fortunately for him, or perhaps unfortunately as a part of him would have liked to have made a grand spectacle of his death, the men completely ignored him and instead rushed over the ledge and slid down the hill, making a beeline for Cao Cao's scattered camp. It would seem that Yuan Yao wasn't the only one who thought it was a great idea to use the vantage point of the hills to ambush someone. Sadly for him, that like-minded person was the same man that Yuan Yao was hoping to ambush.

As the last of Zhang Fei's men rushed down the hill, the general himself pulled his horse next to Yuan Yao and smiled heartily at him. "Yuan Yao, you crafty fox! Here I was thinking that the northeastern passage was the way to go for our ambush, but that suggestion you gave Pang Tong to have me take the hills down is just brilliant! Look at Cao Cao's rabble scatter about!"

Yuan Yao gulped as he looked at Zhang Fei's bright smile, no doubt ready to claim the glory when the only thing that should have been claimed at that point was Yuan Yao to Zhang Fei's head. He followed Zhang Fei's gaze to the camp his men were raiding, but it wasn't Cao Cao's forces he was focused on. It was how he was now completely alone with Zhang Fei, with the general completely unaware of the dark fate Yuan Yao hoped to seal for him.

This, of course, meant that if he were to kill Zhang Fei now, no one would realize or suspect a thing until it was far too late.

"Master Yuan Yao might pretend to be a simple politician, but I reckon he'd make a great officer one day."

Once again, Yuan Yao's hopes of murder were dashed as the dreaded witness walked up behind Zhang Fei. As Zhang Fei rushed down the hill on his horse and completely conquered Yuan Yao's ambush, the young prince turned to the treacherous Pang Tong and strongly considered shooting out his eyes. "What is the meaning of this, you cur?" Yuan Yao growled as he again loaded his bow and took aim at the homely strategist. "I thought we had an accord that-"

"No one knew Zhang Fei was coming here except the two of us. I imagine when the battle is finished, Liu Bei and Guan Yu are going to give him a stern talking down," Pang Tong replied with casual calm as he watched the battle. "But if you were hoping for me to do something a little bit nastier to him, I'm afraid I can't do that. You see, Lord Liu Bei approached me not long after I talked to you, and made me an offer to join him right then and there. I would have been a fool to turn him down!"

Yuan Yao fell silent as Pang Tong walked off, regretting his naiveté as he accepted defeat. He strongly considered following through on his murder, but ultimately decided against it. Even if he killed the strategist, all it would do would start a second conflict that would bring more war to Wu, and that was something that Yuan Yao would have liked to have avoided. There would be a time and place to pass judgment on Liu Bei and his brothers, but if tonight was that night, his opportunity had been foiled.

"Next time, my love," he promised his Goddess as he watched the battle from his vantage point, "I will not hesitate to sacrifice the interlopers. On this, you have my word."


	6. The Wedding Trap

Though Cao Cao managed to escape Chi Bi with his life and freedom intact, he lost his best chance to conquer the kingdom of Wu when he fleet went up in flames. The celebrations in Jianye were nothing short of historic, and there was celebration from as high as the Imperial Court to as low as the poorest peasants. The victory not only established Wu as a major power in the continuously splintering nation, but proved that as powerful and brilliant as Cao Cao was, even he was capable of failure when it came to major campaigns.

As a result, Cao Cao returned to Xu Chang and focused on internal affairs while his forces licked their wounds and prepared for their revenge. This gave Liu Bei and Sun Quan time to recuperate their own wounds and prepare for campaigns on their own, but it soon became unlikely that they would be doing so as a collaborative force. In fact, the forces of Wu had suspected that Liu Bei would not be their allies for long even as early as when his forces first escaped from Chang Ban to enter their kingdom.

Liu Bei's strategist, Zhuge Liang, was a particularly worrisome matter that Zhou Yu had hoped to stamp out after he performed his duties at the altar of Chi Bi. Yuan Yao was not the only one who had plans to assassinate one of Liu Bei's officers in the confusion of battle that evening, as Zhou Yu had established a task force assigned to detain Zhuge Liang before he left the battlefield. Unfortunately for Zhou Yu, the task force was foiled when Cao Cao escaped the pincer attack, which left Guan Yu and Zhang Fei to rush to Zhuge Liang's aid and scatter his pursuers.

The weeks that followed were spent bidding an official farewell to Liu Bei's forces as they moved on to find their own land to conquer. Unofficially, Sun Quan and his council worked meticulously on secret plans to claim Liu Bei's head while still maintaining the favor of the people. While they saw themselves as more virtuous than Cao Cao, the schemes that were tossed about and mulled over were sometimes so devious in their design that they sounded more like the ideas of Yuan Yao's late despotic father Yuan Shu.

Finally, after Liu Bei had settled down in one of the regions out on western outskirts of Wu, Zhou Yu believed that have come with a solution and organized a private council that would meet and discuss his plot in a clandestine meeting. Yuan Yao, as Sun Quan's brother-in-law, was part of this council and attended the meeting alongside Sun Quan, Zhou Yu, Zhuge Jin, and Lu Su. The quintet each took a sip of wine and took an oath of denial should anyone inquire about what was spoken of that evening, and began their delegation.

"Master Yao," Zhou Yu turned to his commander's in-law, "before we begin, I would like for you to promise us that, by involving yourself in this meaning, you swear to avoid unnecessary murder of Liu Bei's forces until the plan has succeeded. You joined us because you wanted revenge for your fiance's death at Xia Pi, and you seemed quite disturbed by Zhang Fei's boastings."

"I...I swear," Yuan Yao replied after a pause. In truth, he was swearing the exact opposite. The hesitance that Zhou Yu wished for was the exact sort of thing that prevented Yuan Yao from taking Zhang Fei's head and receiving his reward from his Goddess of War Lu Lingqi. He would not make the same error in judgment again if he was presented with a strong opportunity to end Zhang Fei's existence should a chance arise.

With his answer satisfactory, Zhou Yu put his plan forward for the council. It was clear that Liu Bei had no intention of remaining in Wu for much longer, for a warlord as ambitious as him would not be satisfied with a life of servitude to the Sun family. Further complicating the situation was Zhuge Liang, who was easily able to overcome capture and warn his master of their scheme to keep him detained. Though Wu had the manpower and generals to overwhelm Liu Bei in a war, it would make their nation seem despotic to the surrounding states, and would allow opposing warlords to try and invade Wu while claiming that they were on the side of heroes and punishing the villains of the East.

To that end, Zhou Yu proposed that instead of conquering Liu Bei directly, they would keep him detained in Wu through less auspicious means. Liu Bei's first wife was one of the casualties as Chang Ban, and had a young son who was currently without a mother to watch over him. "Liu Bei has not officially declared us his enemy, nor have we to him. Therefore, I propose that we link him to our noble Sun family through a marriage alliance. With this, we will have a spy in Liu Bei's midst that would keep us notified of his movements, and he would be obligated to stay in Wu where we can control him."

The term "marriage alliance" was uncomfortable to Yuan Yao, who still pined over his lost fiancé when their respective fathers couldn't cooperate long enough to see the wedding take place. However, he did not object to this plan as unlike Yuan Shu and Lu Bu, Liu Bei was still in Wu's debt for providing his men with the support they needed to turn back Cao Cao. "A marriage alliance would make it quite difficult for Liu Bei to stake claim to land when he would be bound to the banner of Wu," Yuan Yao seconded Zhou Yu's plan. "I vote 'yay' and will provide my support."

The council turned to Zhuge Jin who provided his own input. "If we are to follow through with this plan, Liu Bei will no doubt confer with my young brother Liang, who will no doubt see through our scheme and come up with his own plan to make us look foolish. For this to work, we will need to appear as genuine as possible while at the same time making our true intentions obscure. Liang is clever, but he is not as infallible as he likes to believe he is. The key will be making it look like we're incompetent enough that Liang thinks he can take advantage of us, but in truth he will play into our hands."

Lu Su nodded his head in agreement and spoke. "Zhuge Liang will do what he can to sabotage this marriage, but our Lady Shang Xiang was quite taken by Master Liu Bei during his stay at the capital. No matter how skilled he might be in military stratagem, even he would look like a villain in the eyes of his lord should she managed to win Master Liu Bei's heart. If this plan works, we will not only bind Liu Bei, but break his faith in Liang's word and force him to do our bidding. Once that is done, the rest of Liu Bei's officers will be sure to follow."

With the subordinates giving their thoughts, their lord Sun Quan put in his vote for unanimous agreement. "Each of us recognize the threat that Liu Bei and his men pose to Wu, but at the same time we realize that for all of the potential he has as our enemy, we have the means to use that potential to make him our ally. Tomorrow morning we will send out a messenger to Liu Bei's camp to propose the alliance. Once he is in our hands, we will then take steps to ensure that he never leaves our watch again!"

And so the meeting was adjourned with another round of wine and a praise to their lord Sun Quan's honor and integrity. The next day, the message was sent to Liu Bei's camp with the proposal to permanently bind their forces and stand united against the traitor Cao Cao, as well as thank Liu Bei for his valor and courage in helping Wu win the Battle of Chi Bi. As expected, Liu Bei consulted Zhuge Liang about the matter, but to his surprise, Zhuge Liang raised no objections to the marriage.

"Wu no doubt realizes that you are to one day unite the land and re-establish the Han's glory. After witnessing the bravery of you and your officers, Sun Quan has decided that you would be better with him than against him. It would be much easier for us to topple Cao Cao if we had Wu's long term assistance, and should they have devious machinations in store for us, we will overcome them easily. At the very least, it would be wise for you to have a Lady for appearance's sake."

If there was even a hint of duplicity involved in the marriage alliance, Sun Quan and Zhou Yu worked meticulously to drown it out with the scent of love and happiness. The Emperor personally stepped out of his castle and spoke to the people of Jianye to announce that very soon, his younger sister and their princess would finally meet her destiny and marry the noble and virtuous Liu Bei, proving that their kingdom operated under Heaven's will and virtue. The people rejoiced at the prospect of the hero Liu Bei potentially becoming their lord, and they sang in glory to the happiness of their princess Shang Xiang.

Yuan Yao was given the task of assembling the nuptial apartment that would be used by the couple after the marriage, and he took great pride in this mission. From what he knew of Shang Xiang, her interests and personality drew many comparisons to his own ideas of what his Goddess of War would have liked should they had eloped, and as such he went into the armory and took inspiration from that. He decorated the room with swords and spears, lining the bed's foundation with arrows while a shield hung over the back. A part of him wondered if Liu Bei would be suspicious if he saw so many weapons in what was supposed to be a nuptial apartment created in honor of peace, but the rest of Yuan Yao cared little.

Zhuge Jin was responsible for preparing the Eastern Castle for Liu Bei's permanent residence, while his officers would take residence in separate camps around the capital. The key to this plot was having Liu Bei stay separated from his generals who would eventually cry foul at their scheme. With the passing of time, they would either abandon their content lord, or follow his lead and join the Wu army in a full-time capacity. The attendants of the castle were trained and educated in Liu Bei's habits and desires, and were told to service his every whim as he would not be leaving them. Zhuge Jin was especially adamant about making sure that Zhuge Liang was placed in a camp as far away from Liu Bei as possible.

It wasn't until Lu Su executed his duties of preparing the Sun Quan's castle for Liu Bei's celebratory banquet that their plan hit an unexpected snag. Lu Su had taken to redecorating the entire throne room for the occasion, and involved most of the attendants in the process, including the attendants of Sun Quan's mother Empress Wu. There came a morning where the Empress, for the first time in many years, did not receive her breakfast from her handmaidens. The day grew older and her stomach grew louder, until eventually she could not bear it any longer.

The Empress Wu stepped out of her chambers and demanded to know why her son was starving her to death, and almost immediately her confusion multiplied one-hundred fold. The servants and attendants were frantically running around the hallways, going from one chamber to the next carrying expensive silks and vases reserved only for their royal kin. While Empress Wu had willingly stepped down from most political affairs so that her children could manage her late husband's military campaigns, she at least thought herself important enough to know what was going on in her own castle.

"Empress Dowager," one of the handmaidens bowed her head to their Emperor's honorable mother. "Congratulations on the wonderful news. You must be proud of your daughter for the noble task she has undertaken for the sake of Wu."

"What manner of task?" The Empress asked.

"Why, the wedding, of course! Lady Shang Xiang shall finally join hands in marriage with an able lord!"

In Zhou Yu's eagerness to rush Liu Bei into his marriage trap, no one had bothered informing the bride's mother of the ceremonies.

Each member of the Sun family were renowned for their fiery spirits, with the tempers of the three children varying from as cool as the rivers of Wu to as hot as the fires that burned down Cao Cao's fleet. Empress Wu was responsible for her children inheriting the latter traits, and news of her daughters' impromptu wedding made her blood run hot with rage and her eyes burn with evil flames. When she found Lu Su, she gave him such a brutal dressing down that the palace guards readied themselves in case the Dowager attempted to strangle him to death on the spot.

Empress Wu immediately summoned her son to her quarters, and Sun Quan brought his secret council along with him, not wanting to take the fall alone. "Do you think so little of me that you would keep me in the dark about my own daughter's wedding?" Empress Wu cried in anger. "I have let both you and your brother scatter about the lands and risk your lives to bring your father's dream to reality, and I have turned many a blind eye to your schemes to pacify the land through force. Do you at least owe me the decency of giving me some say to who our princess should wed?"

Sun Quan firmly apologized for his negligence and reassured her that she would be consulted the next time Sun Shang Xiang would marry. This was his first mistake, and one that Lu Su almost immediately recognized as a serious error in judgment. Wishing to spare his lord of his mother's wrath, Lu Su attempted to step in, but Sun Quan waved him off while Empress Wu turned to him in confusion. Sun Quan then explained that the marriage was strictly political, and if things turned out well for them, it would not have to be permanent.

"This marriage is only a temporary ploy until we have alienated the groom from his allies. Once he is isolated, it will be a simple matter for us to dispose of him, and then the princess will be free to marry in earnest!"

Lu Su buried his hands into his face and groaned softly as Empress Wu became so red that she threatened to burst into flame. The other attendants quietly and quickly fled the room so as to avoid witnessing the hellish scorn that would no doubt befall their Emperor at the hands of his mother. Even Sun Quan realized that he had crossed a line and braced himself for the tongue lashing and possible assault he was about to endure. It was here that Yuan Yao intervened and placed himself between his in-laws, bowing to the floor as low as he could before Empress Wu detonated like a cannon.

"Please, venerable mother-in-law," Yuan Yao sputtered out, feeling the heat of Empress Wu bear down upon him. "Our lord is thinking only what is best for our kingdom. You must understand that he agreed to Zhou Yu's plan only because Liu Bei might become a threat to us all! Containing him within our territory will-"

"It will ruin your sister-in-law's life," Empress Wu interrupted. "Do you think anyone will want anything to do with Shang Xiang after you poison her with this seduction scheme? Do you care so little for her welfare that you would throw away any chance she has as a happy wife for the sake of a political game? Have you thought anything of the stain this will have on the Sun family if we were involved in this duplicitous skullduggery?"

Yuan Yao turned to the sweating face of Sun Quan, then looked beyond him to see Lu Su's frustrated grimace. It was clear to him that he would need to perform a miracle to salvage the wedding while still conforming to Zhou Yu's machinations. Therefore, he softened his expression and pleaded his case to the Empress Wu. "Please understand, mother-in-law, that our lord consented to this plan because, like you, he does indeed have the best interests in the princess in mind."

Yuan Yao explained to Empress Wu that Sun Shang Xiang had long wished to marry someone that she could stand by as a hero, much like her late father and brother were. Liu Bei was most certainly a hero, and held a good deal of favor with the commoners as well as the other warlords. Duplicitous as the original intention might have been, if the bethroned were to legitimately fall in love, further steps in the plot would be rendered unnecessary. Liu Bei would become a permanent ally to Wu, and that would be the end of the matter.

Empress Wu listened to her son-in-law's words and consented, but only if she would have a chance to meet the groom before the wedding ceremony. Sun Quan agreed, and the preparations to receive Liu Bei continued. Soon after the preparations were complete, Liu Bei's forces returned to Jianye with a grand reception, both from within the court and among the peasants. Once he reached the court, he was personally welcomed by Yuan Yao, who then led him to the throne room where Empress Wu awaited.

As expected, Empress Wu sang Liu Bei's praises and gave her full support to the marriage, and the ceremony occurred soon afterwards. At the ceremony's conclusion, the conspirators took their positions at their respective assignments and waited to begin the next stage of the plan. Liu Bei and Sun Shang Xiang were to spend the evening in the nuptial apartment arranged by Yuan Yao, and while Liu Bei was intimidated by the warrior's decor and armed handmaidens, the princess could not contain her excitement as she fawned over the assembly. The two engaged in pleasant conversation throughout the evening, and the next morning made their way to the Eastern Castle.

As they hoped, Liu Bei found himself quite taken to the life of royal luxury that he was ignorant to for most of his life, having started as a minor lord with no land or territory to call his own, and his bride legitimately enjoyed his company and did everything she could to make sure that her new lord was pleased. The Sun family spared next expense in showing their princess and her husband with all of the food and wine they could ever ask for, and gradually, Liu Bei's fighting spirit dulled. Each day that passed in the castle was another day closer to the end of Liu Bei's dream to unite the land under his rule, killed slowly with the kindness of Wu.

And as expected, Liu Bei's forces grew increasingly lazy in their vigilance, with many of them coming to terms that their lord would be staying in Wu forever. But there were a scant few who saw past the luxuries and sweet nothings and saw this marriage for what it truly was: an underhanded scheme intending to woo their lord away from his virtuous mission. This was where Yuan Yao would come into play, and entice them into doing something that would give them the excuse to try them as traitors and mark them for death.

With the approval of Zhou Yu, Yuan Yao entered the camp and immediately sought out Liu Bei's general Zhao Yun, who was one of those loyal officers that still believed in his lord's sense of virtue and trained himself and his men diligently. If Yao were able to provoke Zhao Yun, it would send an immediate ripple through Liu Bei's followers and create the dissention necessary for Zhou Yu's plot. Liu Bei would be forced to choose between his wife or his men, and no matter what choice he picked, it would spell doom for his ambitions.

"You train with such purpose, Master Zhao Yun," Yuan Yao began with pleasantries before picking up a loose spear and mimicking the general's form. "Every stroke and thrust through the air impales another soul of Cao Cao's soldiers slain at Chi Bi. Oh, how I wish I had your ability and poise when it came to wielding a weapon to take a man's life."

"My spear knows nothing of small talk and reservations, I'm afraid," Zhao Yun replied as he watched Yuan Yao following his movements. "Your spear, however, is masked with doubt and uncertainty. You are a tiger hiding from the hunt, fighting the urge to rip apart everything you see in fear of the possibility of defeat, for the consequences are most dire. Master Pang Tong has said that while you may stay in the Court, what you long for is a chance to do battle with your enemies."

"Then I suppose the opposite can be said for our lord Liu Bei, who fights on the battlefield but longs to leave the fighting to his men while he enjoys a more peaceful solution," Yuan Yao planted the seed of doubt into the general, and as expected, he took the bait and turned his spear on him. Looking down at the tip of Zhao Yun's spear pointed at his eyes, Yuan Yao held his hands up and smiled. "I mean no offense by this, Master Zhao, but it is only an objective observation."

Yuan Yao told his lord's guest that while Liu Bei may have had good intentions when he began, he grew up amongst the poverty of the Han that sparked the Yellow Turban Rebellion, and had never tasted the fruits of nobility that his superiors enjoyed on a daily basis. Speaking from his own personal experience of how difficult it was to reject such luxury and wealth having tasted it once before, Yao put forward the idea that by enjoying his marriage with Sun Shang Xiang, he had resigned to his happiness and decided that his ambition would best be left to others while he took on a more supportive role for the sake of enjoying his marriage to his new wife.

Zhao Yun agreed that this was a possibility, and lamented how his lord's happiness he had long sought to give him was now proving to be his undoing. But it was soon after this lamentation that his heroic tendencies came into play, just as Zhou Yu had predicted. "There must be some way I can return our lord onto his path...but I cannot defy him as long as his heart is with the people of the land. I believe it is time to consult the 'bag of schemes!'"

Yuan Yao repeated the strange term back in his head while Zhao Yun rushed into his tent and opened a silken bag, containing instructions from Zhuge Liang that no one but Zhao Yun would be privy to. Reaching into the bag and finding his answer, Zhao Yun left the tent and bowed graciously to Yuan Yao before taking a contingent of his troops and leaving the camp on horseback, heading east towards the castle where his lord took up residence. Within minutes, Yuan Yao was left alone in the camp to his own devices, and he immediately broke into Zhao Yun's tent to see what he was talking about.

When he found the silken bag sitting on Zhao Yun's pillow and looked within, Yuan Yao realized with horror that they had been duped right from the very beginning. He had seen bags like those in the past among his father's men, and then were often used for communicating secret commands that only the soldier and commander would be aware of, usually for condemnable acts that were best left a secret and denied by any guilty parties. Did Zhao Yun intend on sacrificing himself so that he could murder the princess and free Liu Bei from his marriage, the same way they intended to do to Liu Bei?

Yuan Yao asked his Goddess of War to give him strength as he quickly made his way to the other camps of Liu Bei's officers. Each of them were empty, containing only a scant few guards and privates to keep watch, and the frustration started to mount. The plan was so perfect in its design, with precautions abound to keep it from imploding upon itself. He was NOT going to lose Lingqi's killer again, and with the plan falling apart around him, Yuan Yao drew his sword and charged to the east.

When he arrived at the Eastern Castle, he expected it to be under siege by Liu Bei's forces, come to liberate their master from the seductress that had taken him from them. But the Eastern Castle was as peaceful as ever, and Yuan Yao breathed a sigh of relief. As brother-in-law to the princess, he was easily granted access inside and ask to speak to Shang Xiang. The attendant admitted to Yuan Yao that a few other officers of Wu asked that same question, but the lord and lady vacated earlier that morning to return to Liu Bei's homeland.

"Lord Liu Bei believed it improper to enjoy the pleasures of Wu without taking his bride to visit the village he grew up in, and pay their respects to his late parents. Empress Wu agreed and gave them permission to go."

The entire point of marrying Sun Shang Xiang to Liu Bei was to keep him contained in Wu, thus eliminating him from the power struggle while avoiding raising the ire of the people. If Liu Bei left the state with Sun Shang Xiang, then not only would the plan fail, it would be completely turned against them as Liu Bei would have an important bargaining chip that would prevent Wu from attacking him. Thankfully, it sounded as if Zhou Yu had caught wind of the loophole, as several of his officers had come by the castle in order to pursue him and take him back.

Yuan Yao waited at the castle for Liu Bei to be escorted back to his marital prison, wondering if the garden had anything poisonous he could slip in his drink and solve the problem that way. The afternoon gave way to the evening, and the evening gave way to night, as Yuan Yao's anxiety gave way to his madness. How could have let his enemy slip through his hands a second time? How could he have failed his Goddess of War yet again?

Yuan Yao slept in the castle having nightmares about his Goddess of War chastising him, morphing his scar into a painful brand that burned into his soul, causing him to cry out in his sleep and beg his love to show mercy on his unworthy self. He made more vows, more promises of death and carnage, and hoped that they would placate her. Instead, they only incurred her wrath further and as punishment, she allowed herself to be torn apart in front of his eyes, peeling herself to pieces as he begged her to stop.

The next morning, the exhausted Yuan Yao opened his eyes and asked if the princess had returned, but the attendants said nothing. Instead, they handed him a summons requesting that he return to the capital immediately. He did as he was told and rode his horse back to Jian Ye, where the mood in the castle had a familiar air of dread within the throne room. Sun Quan sat on his throne with a tear in his eye, and Yuan Yao asked what had happened.

The answer he received was that Master Zhou Yu, like his late friend Sun Ce, had mysteriously fallen ill, and his conditioned worsened to such a rapid degree that the doctors were at a loss on how to treat him.

In the days following the wedding, Zhou Yu had worked tirelessly to ensure that the plan succeeded, sacrificing meals and sleep so that he could oversee every single detail and give orders to his co-conspirators. It was not the first time his obsession with his strategies had taken a toll on his health, and he became bedridden while planning the counterattack on Chi Bi. But for it to have become so terrible that Zhou Yu might be on the verge of death? It was too much for Yuan Yao to bear.

After being shown the commander's quarters, Yuan Yao rushed to Zhou Yu's side and begged for him to live. "Why must Heaven torment me thus, to have already lost one of my boyhood friends only to have another with his life ebbing away? Please, Zhou Yu, I will say a prayer for your health and you will rise up and regale us with your magnificent sword dance!"

Zhou Yu looked up to the ceiling as Yuan Yao held his hand. "All my life, I have prided myself on my intellect and cunning. I take great pride in my strategies and schemes and the success they have brought the Sun family. But...if Wu has Heaven's favor, then why did Heaven also bring Zhuge Liang into our midst?"

"Zhuge Liang is a schemer, and nothing more," Yuan Yao retorted before he pulled out his sword. "Say the word and I will bring you his head and his heart!"

"It's too late, my friend," Zhou Yu groaned. "Zhuge Liang...he knew that we would try and bait him into action...and that's why he did nothing. By creating a plan so perfectly obvious and simple...we left ourselves open for tactics that even a bumbling fool could perform. Now our princess has gallyvanted off with the pretender Liu Bei...and with it, your chance at avenging your loved one. I've failed you, Lord Yao..."

"You've failed no one, Master Zhou Yu," Yuan Yao said strongly, feeling his hate and sadness well up in his heart, "but only as long as you are still alive. If you were to die now, you would be dying in shame. As brother-in-law to our Lord Sun Quan...and as your friend...I command you to live! LIVE!"

"It's a command...I will most likely fail to upload, my lord," Zhou Yu relented as he closed his eyes. "But...I...will...try..."


	7. Rapture

Whatever urgency surrounded the detaining of Liu Bei in Wu's territory dissipated in the wake of Zhou Yu's funeral, with the Sun family sparing no expense in providing his funeral with the same level of attention as his old friend Sun Ce, who no doubt greeted his soul upon his arrival in the afterlife. To lose Sun Ce at such a young age was painful enough for the kingdom of Wu, but to lose Zhou Yu meant saying farewell to the two primary masterminds behind the foundation of the sovereign state. The entirety of the Wu army grieved for days, mourning the loss of the greatest military mind they ever had the privilege of working under.

News of Zhou Yu's death reached out as far as the western region of Yizhou, where Liu Bei's forces had made camp hoping to establish their own kingdom to rival Wu and the Cao family's recently established Wei kingdom. While there were quite a few of his generals who did not appreciate how Zhou Yu attempted to drive a wedge between them with the marriage scheme, there were others who had not forgotten how Zhou Yu possibly saved their lives with the strategy at Chi Bi, and they mourned his passing as if he were one of their own.

With Liu Bei's permission, Zhuge Liang escorted a handful of those sympathizers back into Wu territory, where they attended the fallen strategist's funeral. Unfortunately for them, the forces of Wu did not react kindly to their perceived intrusion, and none reacted more negatively than Yuan Yao. When Zhuge Liang was announced as an arrival, he immediately drew his sword with the intent to kill.

Yuan Yao owed what little remained of his sanity following his father's death to Sun Ce and Zhou Yu, who redirected his grief and anger into helping them unite the remainder of the East and offering him sanctuary in the Sun royal family. Having lost both of them to illness, Yuan Yao felt more alone than ever, and even his prayers to his Goddess of War did little to alleviate his heartache. What he wanted now, more than anything, was the blood of the man who drove Zhou Yu into such a pitiful state.

"Swindler," Yuan Yao called out as Zhuge Liang turned towards the former prince looking for his head. "Have you not poisoned us enough with your trickery? Will you not rest until you've driven all of us into despair!?"

Zhuge Liang's escorts drew their weapons and prepared for a fight, but they proved unnecessary when Yuan Yao was cut off by his fallen friend's widows, the Qiao sisters. "Lord Yao, please," the younger Qiao, wife of the late Zhou Yu, pleaded. "We'll have our chance to get even with those bullies, but not here. Lord Zhou Yu would be upset if people started fighting over him!"

"I beg to differ, my lady," Yuan Yao retorted. "I believe Master Zhou Yu would very much enjoy having this villain's head buried along with him."

"What he wanted, my lord, was for us to work together," the elder Qiao sister, late wife of Sun Ce, retorted while the other Wu generals stood next to Yuan Yao. When Yuan Yao noticed them and turned, he expected them to be as angry as him, as thirsty for blood and revenge as him. But to his dismay, he realized that he was the only one who wanted carnage, as the look of sadness pierced his darkening heart and brought forth the tears he thought to have exhausted.

Yuan Yao wept bitterly as the two Qiaos comforted him and moved him away from Zhuge Liang, whose expression remained as calm as the cloudless noon around them. During the proceedings, Zhuge Liang was given the opportunity to speak of Zhou Yu's passing, and the forces of Wu watched him closely in case he decided to add insult to injury. The strategist wisely avoided causing further ruckus, and instead spoke warmly about Zhou Yu and the relationship they shared as fellow thinkers.

"Master Zhou Yu was instrumental in the campaign against Cao Cao at Chi Bi, and without his suggestions, the battle would have surely ended in failure. I must give credit where credit is due, and I cast aside my pride and openly admit that it was he who suggested fire to destroy the fleet. Never have I met a men who was skilled at so many different aspects of war. If he wished, he could have easily focused entirely on the battlefield and leave the plans to someone else, but clearly he was a man who enjoyed being tested intellectually. I am saddened that his obsession with military perfection led him to his early passing."

And so, Zhou Yu's body was bid farewell for the final time, and the funeral came to a conclusion. The pleasantries between Zhuge Liang's envoy and their hosts were awkward and brief, no doubt sensing that the next time they would meet, they would most likely be enemies. However, Sun Quan promised them safe passage back to their camp out of respect for his sister, who now resided with Liu Bei outside of their borders. With Wu's honor and reputation at stake, the military made good on their lord's word, and Liu Bei's forces returned to their camp with no incident.

Perhaps the most important reason why Zhuge Liang escaped Wu with his head intact was because Yuan Yao, after his outburst at the funeral, was ordered by Sun Quan to remain in his quarters until they received word that Zhuge Liang and his men had completely vacated their lands. While his late brother and strategist were understanding of the inner torment that Yuan Yao carried with him daily, Sun Quan and his wife, Yuan Yao's sister, were less than tolerable of his recent behavior. If Yuan Yao had followed through with what he intended to do to Zhuge Liang, it would have almost certainly started a war that Wu could not afford to finish.

"Out of respect to your sister and your political ability, I have allowed you a great deal of freedom when voicing your opinion in the court, but I cannot tolerate your warmongering when the state of affairs are so delicate. Zhou Yu was one of the pillars of our kingdom, and without him, I would not have been able to maintain stability. If I were to allow you to satiate your cries for blood and revenge, we would be caught in a three way struggle with us on the defensive. Therefore, you are to use your time considering your behavior and the safety of our kingdom of Wu."

The truth of the matter was that, without Sun Ce and Zhou Yu, Yuan Yao saw Wu only as a tool for which he would use to get his revenge, for revenge was all he had left now. In the days following Zhou Yu's funeral, Yuan Yao pleaded with his brother-in-law to give him the vacancy for military supreme commander, laying out complex and grandiose plans that would have been a mighty spectacle had any of them come into fruition. Sadly for Yuan Yao, it was that very spectacle that caused him to lose favor with his family: had the military actually used any of them, the death toll would have been astronomical on both sides.

Meanwhile, Liu Bei's forces were as united as they could ever be, having finally found a kingdom they could call their own. After moving west in the Yizhou region, Liu Bei found shelter with his family member Liu Zhang, who had used the forests and mountains to create a kingdom blessed with a natural defense against enemy forces. If Liu Zhang were more ambitious about building his military, he would have had one of the strongest nations in China that would be able to strike at Wei and Wu with ease, and then retreat into the forests where they could prepare a strong defense.

The land was so perfect for military rule that Zhuge Liang and Pang Tong, after a great deal of convincing, persuaded Liu Bei into using his own military forces to arrange a coup and remove Liu Zhang from power. Though there was some initial difficulty with the conquest due to the interference of Ma Chao and Pang De from Liu Zhang's allies in Yi Liang, Liu Bei was successful in his revolution and seized power from Liu Zhang. Finally, Liu Bei had his own kingdom under his command, and declared the founding of the kingdom of Shu.

With Liu Bei's victory, the land was now consolidated into three major powers: the Shu kingdom ruled by Liu Bei, the Wu kingdom ruled by the Sun family, and the Wei kingdom ruled by the Cao family. It was made quite clear to Yuan Yao why Sun Quan chastised him so heavily when news of Liu Bei's coup reached his ears. If one kingdom were to attack the other, then the third kingdom out would be at a tremendous advantage. They could either wait for the two kingdoms to exhaust themselves and pick up the scraps, or they could ally with whoever held favor with them and pressure the third kingdom.

But as the three sides prepared for war, Yuan Yao was too concerned with the war going on in his mind. His nightmares were worsening daily, often crying out in his sleep and thrashing about madly in his bed. He lost all interest in his poetry and dance, focusing his efforts only on whatever weapon he could get his hands on. His outbursts in the court started to lose clarity and sounded more akin to the ramblings of a madman. Whatever prince Yuan Yao once was, what stood in his place was a man obsessed, and only unrestrained violence could satiate him.

It became clear to Sun Quan that confining Yuan Yao in his quarters was not going to bring his brother-in-law back to sanity, so he instead ordered him to vacate the capital and spend some time managing affairs in the West. Regardless of what the opinion was in the court, Yuan Yao still had a good reputation among the people as a well-natured lord who was hungry for redemption after subjecting the peasants to his father's tyranny. Furthermore, Yuan Yao generally enjoyed interacting with the commoners, and it would be best if he took his mind off of political affairs and enjoyed a sabbatical until he settled down.

Yuan Yao reluctantly agreed and headed west to one of the estates near the borders of Wu. He was given a modest house with an open field to farm, train, or do whatever he wished to do when he was not burdened with the affairs of the people. Sun Quan was correct in saying that he needed some time alone, as losing Sun Ce and Zhou Yu had left his disillusioned with his current state of affairs. What he longed for, more than anything, was to be in the arms of his Goddess of War and take with her the warm comfort he had been deprived of with the loss of his friends.

The townspeople saw his sorry state and did what they could to cheer him up, offering him gifts and grain and inviting him to their houses for meals. He graciously accepted their kindness and tried to drown his sorrows with their generosity, but it was only a temporary measure. No amount of training or leading was going to permanently quell the pain in his soul, and it reached a point where he was ready to end everything. No more revenge, no more sadness, no more ambitions: Yuan Yao just wanted to rejoin his lost loved ones, and he was willing to part ways with the world of the living if it meant achieving that goal.

Yuan Yao had many unhealthy fantasies on how he should go about his suicide, and spent one full moon in his house wondering if it would be possible to somehow use all of them, but fate was nowhere close to done with the former crown prince. As he silently pondered in his room about whether or not his Goddess of War would still love him if he came to her ahead of schedule, the sound of screams and swords filled his ears. Stepping out of his house to see what the commotion was, he saw that the village under his care was under attack by bandits.

Clearly it was a sign from the Heavens, answering his questions about how he would meet his end. Lu Lingqi, after all, was a great warrior in her own right and found her peace through battle. If Yuan Yao met his end in a similar manner, then he would have no doubt proven his worth to her and be allowed to finally take her hand. He consulted his shrine to his Goddess of War one last time, hoping that she will finally speak to him again after so many nights of terror and sadness.

His prayers were answered when the wind against blew in his ear.

"Cleanse your sins in the blood of warriors."

Yuan Yao complied and rushed into the village with his sword raised and his voice shrill with a parched thirst for violence. Though he had murder on his mind many times, he had kept his bloodlust in check for the sake of his new family of Wu. Now that Sun Quan had cast him out, there was nothing holding Yuan Yao back from running up to the closest bandit he could find and jamming his sword deep into his stomach, watching the blade re-emerge from his back stained in red.

The long-forgotten surge of dominance and control Yuan Yao felt when he last took a life rushed through his body like a gale of wind, blowing away all of the doubts and misgivings he held within his heart. He felt the bandit breath his last through his blood-stained cheongsam, and pulled his sword free to let him fall dead to the ground. Like a child discovering his favorite food for the first time, Yuan Yao savored the blood of a villain and came to a stunning realization that brought forth his first poem in many moons.

"Woe to thee, a heartless fiend,

Striking down innocents with a your sword's gleam.

Woe to thee, some heartless curs,

Now you face my wrath and hers.

Woe to thee, my victims aplenty,

She craves your heart, or ten, or twenty.

Woe to thee, my dying foes,

For there is still more blood to show!"

Like a tiger let loose from its cage, Yuan Yao embraced his lust for carnage and ran for the next bandit, who was in the process of burning a peasant's home. Caring nothing for the danger or brutality of how he would be dealt with, Yuan Yao snatched his torch away from him, and then cut his sword off of the hilt on his belt. When he bent over to pick it up, Yuan Yao brought the torch down on his head and set his hair ablaze, watching him scramble around screaming until the flames spread to the rest of his body, burning him alive.

At this point, the other bandits took notice of Yuan Yao and focused their attack on him, offering their bodies and souls for sacrifice for his Goddess of War. Yuan Yao obliged them with much enthusiasm as he beheaded the first bandit that reached him with a single strike, though he was unable to retrieve the head as he flew through the door of one of the villager's huts. Thankfully, he was able to redeem his lack of grace by piercing the heart of another bandit, leaving the blade within and watching the life drain from the bandit's eyes as he fell to the ground.

Three more bandits charged at Yuan Yao as he struggled to pull the blade free, but Yuan Yao showed no signs of distress as he reached for the corpse's sword and pulled it free from his hilt. In fact, he welcomed the numbers disadvantage for it meant a greater frequency of souls sent to his Goddess of War's domain, where they would no doubt be sacrificed to her insatiable lust for battle. They made the mistake of coming at him from the same direction, which made it easy for him to cut them to pieces.

The bandits continued to come at Yuan Yao, each one's fighting spirit diminishing as the man before him fell to the berserk Yuan Yao's frenzy. The only solace the bandits could take was that the swords Yuan Yao was using to kill them did not have the durability and longevity of the royal weapons he was spoiled by in the armories of Wu and his late father's kingdom. Because of that, he would often have to toss his sword down and procure a new one from a corpse, which gave the bandits time to attack him.

During the conflagration between Yuan Yao and the bandits, the poor thief that the prince set aflame finally succumbed to his fate, collapsing onto one of the wagons of hay and dying on a bed of grain. The flames from the wagon, in turn, spread to one of the nearby houses, and then that spread to a nearby house. Within minutes, the villagers were less concerned about the bandits hungering for their money and women and more concerned with whether or not the village would survive the evening.

Yuan Yao continued to slash and hack at any man who came close to him, his maddened laughter drowned out only by the screams of his victims. Through sheer force of will and bloodlust, he curbed a bandit den of a good seventy men and reduced them to less than ten, all while still having the energy to stand ready for more death. He had rusted the blades of over a dozen swords, discarding the weapons with such rapidity that Yuan Yao didn't even remember which sword originally belonged to him.

Not that he really cared at that point: he would have killed his enemies with farmer's tools if the villagers weren't cowering in fear from the demon of the battlefield he had become.

"Are you happy with yourself, my son?"

It was a voice that Yuan Yao had not heard in a long, long time, but one that he had known since he was a little boy, and not a voice that he wanted to hear in this time of chaos and destruction. The voice was so unwelcome, in fact, that it wiped the grin off of his face and forced him to turn around to confirm that he really heard it. Fear and anger gripped his heart as Yuan Yao looked at his next challenger, questioning his sanity and self-worth as the challenger drew his sword and pointed it at Yuan Yao.

"Father," Yuan Yao whispered in confusion as Yuan Shu charged at him with the intention to run his son through. With their swords joined, father and son locked themselves into a standstill as the father's eyes of fire burned deep into the chilled soul of Yuan Yao. "Is it not enough that you ruin my happiness the first time? Must you return from your resting place to torment me once more, take away my shining moment in battle?"

"It is a battle to which you have no right to claim glory, Yao," Yuan Shu retorted as they broke their deadlock and resumed their ready positions. "You have the gall to purport yourself a warrior, adding your victims to a tally that will never be measured or hailed by the people. You wave your sword in a battle that will have no bearing on the future of this land, and believe yourself a hero of war for no other reason that you came from a noble family that you usurped only to give away!"

"Your kingdom was flawed, father, built on nothing more than reputations stemming from long ago," Yuan Yao snapped back as Yuan Shu once again lunged for him. This time, Yuan Yao was ready for his attack, and parried it with ease. As a result, his father lost his balance and stumbled past his son, who has his sword ready for his father's execution. Stopping Yuan Shu's loss of balance with a firm punch in the stomach, Yuan Yao lifted his father back to a standing position and reared back to bisect his neck. "It was time for you to fade into history...just as it is time for you to do so now!"

But to his dismay, Yuan Shu's head was not separated in a splash of blood and viscera, but a harmless whiff through a wispy body that easily returned to its default state. He had heard of the concept of phantom soldiers before, but this was the first time he had seen the concept in practice, and being used against him! Yuan Yao let a trickle of fear creep into his heart as his father returned to an upright position and pushed to the offensive, forcing Yuan Yao several steps backwards where he collided with his next opponent.

Yuan Yao turned around only to receive a clubbing blow to his cheek, stunning the former prince and leaving him open for a rapid series of strikes to his face and body that left him in a great deal of pain. "Tell me something, Yao," the phantom Sun Ce called out through the dizzy haze of Yuan Yao's head, twirling his clubs as he waited for the former prince to stand upright so he could pummel him once again. "Did you join Wu because of our friendship, or were you just using that to exploit me so you could cozy up into the capital?"

"You...you brought that upon yourself, Master Ce," Yuan Yao groaned through his numbing pain as he watched Sun Ce rush for him with murder in his former lord's eyes. Realizing he had dropped his sword, Yuan Yao instead tackled Sun Ce to the ground and attempted to steal one of Ce's clubs for his own. Unfortunately, his father kicked him off of Sun Ce before Yuan Yao had a chance to do so, and he was forced to settle with another sword lying next to one of the fallen bandits.

This time, Yuan Shu and Sun Ce attacked Yuan Yao en tandem, forcing Yuan Yao to evade both attacks until an opportunity presented itself, which it did when Sun Ce accidentally struck Yuan Shu. With the dethroned despot stumbling back, Yuan Yao focused his efforts on Sun Ce, again swinging with the intent to decapitate. This time, instead of his neck disappearing, Sun Ce's entire being vanished in a puff of smoke, leaving Yuan Yao to spin through the air before forcing himself to a halt

"How did I bring that upon myself?"

The rematerialized Sun Ce caught Yuan Yao off guard, almost imploding the former prince's head with his clubs while Yuan Shu tried to flank him from behind. "You brought it upon yourself, my lord," Yuan Yao rolled to the side to avoid the pincer attack and faced both his attackers. "You did so by denying me my rightful place in the military. You have no idea how painful it has been for me, watching others soak in the glory of war while I waste away in the court!"

"You had your chance."

It was this third specter's voice, whose origins could be traced back to the very instant where Yuan Yao decided that he would devote himself to the art of war, that finally froze Yuan Yao like a lake in the coldest winters. Terror filled his heart as he slowly turned around to see an arrow just barely breeze by him, grazing his cheek and drawing his blood. The origin of the arrow came from the bow of the man that Yuan Yao had posthumously lionized as a god, and the embodiment of warrior perfection that every soldier strove to achieve.

"Master...Lu Bu!"

So engrossed was Yuan Yao in his fright that he was left vulnerable to the attack of the other specters. With his father slashing like a tiger and Sun Ce striking like an ape, Yuan Yao's blood was spilled over the burning village until he was brought to the brink of death. Though he tried to fight them off, the combination of the spell and the awe of Lu Bu's presence left him unable to mount a counterattack. All he could do was endure his punishment, and let his sins bite and tear at him until they finally relented.

Yuan Yao's breath was heavy as the phantoms took a moment to admire their handiwork. Whatever was left of his robes was now drenched in blood, soaked to a point where they were weighing down his body like training bracelets. His face had several bruises and a large welt where Sun Ce first struck him, and his body was a mural of purple and red. But none of those wounds were more prevalent than the very first signature an opponent branded into his body. It was this wound, the scar to which he founded a personal religion from which he drew strength in his darkest hours, that allowed him to remain proud and upright.

"Why do you smile, boy?" Lu Bu asked as he noticed the grin returning to Yuan Yao's face.

"I smile...because I am once again in the presence of greatness," Yuan Yao said through focused breaths, tossing his sword to the ground and outstretching his arms. "At first, I thought my father and Master Sun Ce were attacking out of revenge for my failures as a son, and as a friend. But you, Master Lu Bu...you stand before me because you are here to test me. You, who sired my Goddess of War, are the answer to my prayers. You, who brought peace with a single arrow, are the example I must follow."

"And tell me, boy," Lu Bu said as he raised his bow for another arrow. "What is the answer I bring you?"

"Death."

Lu Bu took aim for Yuan Yao's eyes and fired the arrow that could strike a fly from an opposite camp, but Yuan Yao only rocked to the side to allow the arrow to hit its true mark. With a scream, the bandit was impaled through the forehead with the arrow, and he fell to the ground lifeless and powerless. Yuan Yao had waited patiently for the phantom conjurer to appear, and by accepting his fears, he created an opportunity where there had been no hope to escape. The former prince did not even grace the bandit with a glance over his corpse as he picked up two swords from the ground and prepared to say farewell to his family and friends once more.

"If you really want to fight, Yao," Sun Ce charged his old friend with both his clubs raised for the kill, caring little for the fading protection the conjurer had given him as a phantom, "don't let anyone else tell you no."

"I will let no one and nothing stand in my way," Yuan Yao nodded his head as he dodged Sun Ce's thrust, crouching down and driving both of his blades into the phantom's body. This time, he felt the familiar resistance of hard steel breaching flesh, and he whispered a farewell into Sun Ce's ear before removing the swords from the throat and belly of the founder of Wu. "I will see you again soon someday, old friend. Tell Master Zhou Yu to watch me avenge his death."

"If you intend to do evil, my son," Yuan Shu addressed his son as he too rushed with his sword over his head, "then be the most terrifying villain the land has ever seen."

"My name will live in infamy, told as horror stories to scare children," Yuan Yao recycled his father's final fate by grabbing onto Yuan Shu's wrist holding his blade, wresting it from his fingers, and then repossessing it to impale him through the chest. "The despotic reign you sought to thrust upon me will pale in comparison to the trail of destruction I shall leave in my wake!"

Finally, it was down to Yuan Yao's courage brought forth by insanity, against the unparalleled might of Lu Bu and his halberd. "If you intend to spill blood, boy...if you intend to make good on my name and win my daughter's heart...you had best be prepared to spill rivers of it!"

With all other blades unavailable to him in the wake of Lu Bu's mad rush towards him, Yuan Yao instead picked up a wooden buckler and gave his own war cry and charge. With a gush of wind and wrath, Lu Bu swiped his halberd with the intent to raze his would-be in-law like he was nothing but stock on a farm. But Yuan Yao was too quick, and he vaulted over the swipe and planted both his feet into Lu Bu's face, stomping him down to the ground while Yuan Yao lifted his shield and used it for strictly offensive purposes.

Again and again, the buckler came down on Lu Bu's head, cleaving and breaking through flesh and bone as the wood splintered and cracked. Yuan Yao only stopped when his arms screamed for rest and upon looking at what was left of the Flying General, the deposed prince made his vow over his corpse. "The entire region will be painted crimson before my revenge is complete. I have finally been released from my bonds, and am now ready to walk in your vaunted footsteps."

The cadavers of the phantoms faded into nothingness, leaving Yuan Yao alone as thunder rumbled to give way to rain. Heaven itself washed away the flames of the villages and cleansed the blood and hate from the prince's body. Long had he waited to release that anger welling up in his body since he lost his Goddess of War, and he was proud of himself for holding it within him for so long and venting it in a way that did not harm the people close to him. More importantly, it gave Yuan Yao a sense of clarity that he had been lacking.

"You're so beautiful, my Emperor."

For the first time in what felt like an eternity, the strong arms of his Goddess embraced Yuan Yao, picking him off his knees and lifting him up so that he may finally gaze into her eyes once more. "Is it really you, my love?" Yuan Yao said lowly as his Goddess leaned in and gently licked the blood off of his cheek. "Has my madness finally broken, and you have returned to me in earnest?"

The licks soon evolved into gentle kisses on his face, prompting Yuan Yao to return her embrace and place his own kisses upon her, like he had dreamed about doing countless times since the disaster at Xia Pi. Many of his peers thought him mad to have continued to pin over his lost love, idolizing a ghost and needlessly lionizing her when there were more beautiful, more alive prospects for a man of his class and standing. But it was this moment, where Lu Lingqi showered him with her love after years of yearning, that made the wait worthwhile.

"Not yet...but soon," she hummed in his ear while the flames were extinguished by the rain, gradually engulfing the couple in darkness. Lingqi held her subject closer, letting him feel her heartbeat and prove to him that she lived on for his sake. "You have already delivered unto me the head of my first killer, Yuan Shu. You need only deliver to me two more heads, and I will return to you forever."

"I...will do anything for you, my goddess," Yuan Yao admitted through his lovesick haze.

"Then I offer you this, as a preview for the love I will bestow upon you when the next head is offered."

As early as his first meeting with Lu Lingqi when he was still the crown prince, Yuan Yao had fantasized what a kiss from Lu Lingqi would feel like, letting his imagination run wild on how tantalizing the sensation of her lips would be. But after years of longing for her return, obsessing for her love, the actual kiss was like a rapture. She took great delight in the seducing nature of the kiss, allowing him to deepen in while she held him close. All of Yuan Yao's hate, all of his sorrow, melted away as gradually, light returned to his heart in the darkness of night.

But the sound of horses broke the tranquility of the moment, and the kiss was broken not long afterwards. With the light of torches burning in the distance, Yuan Yao groped blindly for his Goddess as she separated from him, but she was too far gone if the rapid patter of her feet in the mud was any indication. All that was left was the promise, and the lingering sensation of her lips against his bruised face.

Finally, the torches and horses pulled up next to him, revealing a messenger from the palace. "Master Yao, Lord Sun Quan has requested your presence in the Western Castle."

"...whatever for?" Yuan Yao managed to sputter out as he returned from whatever paradise the kiss had taken him.

"He is assigning you to a task force regarding the kingdom of Shu. The time has come to avenge the humiliation of losing our princess, and strike out at Liu Bei...and he is giving you full responsibility in the dispatching of General Zhang Fei."


	8. The Assassination of Zhang Fei

Yuan Yao had fantasized about this moment for a long, long time. Ever since he joined Wu, he dreamed of the chance where he would be allowed to lead a force for the express purpose of punishing those that destroyed Lu Bu and his ilk at Xia Pi. He fantasized and roleplayed the glorious blood soaked campaign that would be told in stories for years to come, lionizing the tale of the prince that sold his kingdom for a chance at avenging his lover and bringing justice to her enemies. He pinned and wept for every day that passed by where sat in the court instead of fighting his nemeses, often cursing how he was disappointing his Goddess of War who gave him a reason to thrive.

But at last, the time had come for Yuan Yao to act with the blessing of the Sun family. While Sun Quan might have chastised his brother-in-law for his failure to contain his fury at those who he perceived as traitors, the Emperor of Wu held the exact same contempt in his heart for the forces of Shu. Having already lost his father and brother to the chaos, Sun Quan had secretly resented Liu Bei for stealing away his younger sister and plotted meticulously to return her to Wu. But as Emperor, he reluctantly hid those desires as he did not want to seem petty to the other lords, and his sister regularly wrote letters to him declaring her contentment serving Liu Bei.

When Zhou Yu passed, Lu Su became the supreme commander of Wu and Sun Quan's chief military advisor, and he brought with him a non-aggression policy that Zhou Yu only explicitly abided by. According to Lu Su, Wu's primary focus should have been on their enemies to the north, as the kingdom of Wei pressured their neighbors almost perpetually. The kingdom of Shu was founded as a direct challenge to Wei, and it would be far better to have Shu as an ally rather than engulf the country into an ugly three-way struggle. Free-for-all wars were guaranteed to end in a high death toll, possibly higher than the world would ever see.

That was before Sun Quan found someone better suited for his wishes.

Citing how Lu Su's strengths were more apparent in politics than in warfare, Sun Quan reassigned Lu Su to a high court position, and succeeded his military post with Lu Meng. Lu Meng's philosophy was the exact opposite of Lu Su, as he strongly favored campaigns against Liu Bei. Following Zhou Yu's death, Lu Meng painstakingly studied and re-enacted the ex-strategist's contingency plans should Liu Bei ever turned against them, and almost all of them resulted in two very negative scenarios. Either Liu Bei would gather enough support from the other lords to topple the Sun family, or his defeat would spark a revolt among the people and eliminate Wu from the game via internal conflicts.

The only plan Zhou Yu outlined where Wu would be successful, keeping in mind that Liu Bei now had an independent state to unite soldiers under, was to provoke Liu Bei into attacking them first. If that were to happen, Wu could declare that they are the victims and Liu Bei was showing his true colors. This would give Wu the support of the commoners, and give them the excuse to eliminate Liu Bei and end the threat he posed to them. After that, Wu and Shu could mend their differences with the passage of time, and focus all of their efforts on conquering the much larger state of Wei.

Yuan Yao arrived at the Western castle just as his bruises and wounds had almost fully healed, leaving the residents none the wiser to the carnage he indulged himself in at his previous placement. Even if he were to tell them of the visions that visited him on that night, it was unlikely anyone would have believed them as truth. Yuan Yao recognized that there were many in Wu's office that deemed him insane, and he acted on his best behavior so that he was not deemed unfit for the task Sun Quan had promised him. After all, there would be plenty of time to do battle when the operation was officially underway.

Lu Meng greeted Yuan Yao upon his arrival and escorted him into the war room, where Zhuge Jin and an unknown youth awaited them. The stranger was introduced as Lu Xun, a younger officer who was showing great promise as a military genius and was being groomed for a major tactical seat in the Wu forces. Once pleasantries were exchanged, everyone took their seats and began their delegation.

Lu Meng divulged to the council that Sun Quan had long been suspicious of Liu Bei and wished to remove him from the stage of battle, but he held too much favor with the common people that doing away with him outright would spark a good deal of outrage. But now that Liu Bei had founded the state of Shu by usurping Cheng Du from his relative Liu Zhang, his popularity had declined and was being considered as the same as Cao Cao: another warlord who only cared for conquest. All that remained now was for Liu Bei to again make himself the aggressor, and Wu would have the support of the people.

"When Liu Bei conquered Cheng Du, he did so without Guan Yu and Zhang Fei," Lu Meng explained as he pointed to the marks on the map spread across the table. "The state of Shu is so expansive that Liu Bei has spread his officers thin so that his borders can be defended, while at the same time having a capable general to mount offensive attacks against Wei or Wu. This means that, as you can see here, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei are not with their lord."

Zhuge Jin reminded the council that the relationship between Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei, and Liu Bei went far beyond the common bond between solider and lord. The trio shared an oath bond that they would be brothers until the land was united under a single banner, and swore that they would all live until that mission was fulfilled. Should they meet their end, they would do so on the same day, and that oath had kept them strong. Therefore, the plan would involve targeting the two brothers and dispatching them.

"If we take the life of even one of the brothers, Liu Bei will fly into a rage and call an immediate attack," Zhuge Jin stated, pointing to the area on the map marking the city of Fan Castle. "Currently, Guan Yu is preparing to attack Wei at Jing Province, where he will focus all of his manpower to breach the castle walls and occupy it. While Guan Yu is distracted, Master Lu Meng and Lu Xun will ambush Guan Yu's rear and dispatch him."

"Lord Sun Quan has already sent a letter to Cao Cao informing him of this plan, and he has agreed to keep it a secret," Lu Meng added before turning to Yuan Yao. "Master Yuan Yao, our lord knows how badly you want Zhang Fei's head, and applauds you for showing restraint for this long while political affairs were stabilized. As a reward, you will be tasked with the capture and execution of Zhang Fei, who is currently making camp here."

Yuan Yao looked at the map and immediately recognized Zhang Fei's location. It was in a region just outside the northwestern tip of Wu, located near his old castle where his father declared himself Emperor, and the city his capital. Even though Yuan Yao had not been there personally in several years, he knew the townspeople well enough that if they were involved in this plot, they would side with Wu out of respect for the Yuan family. Yuan Yao took great care in not alienating his men when they were first annexed to Wu, and he expected them to return the favor.

Lu Meng emphasized Sun Quan's ordered about the level of power Yuan Yao would have for his branch of the operation, telling the former prince that he would be given complete command over the assassination of Zhang Fei so long as it was done in a way that did not make Wu look like the aggressor. To that prospect, Yuan Yao gave the situation some careful thought before putting forward a suggestion. "For this to work in a way that does not stain Wu, our attacks will need to be coordinated so that news of their demise will reach Liu Bei simultaneously. Losing one brother would be strenuous enough, but both of them at once? He will call for blood in a way that will make even Dong Zhuo tremble in fear!"

And thus, they came to an agreement. Zhuge Jin, Lu Meng, and Lu Xun would travel to Jing Province and subjugate Guan Yu, while Yuan Yao would stay behind and focus on the assassination of Zhang Fei. The lifeblood of the scheme would be the willful containment of information being spread around the kingdom, isolating the two brothers long enough until news of their death reached Liu Bei. This would prevent reinforcements from throwing a wrench in their scheme, and allow themselves the freedom to act as deviously as they wished until it was time to reveal their recipe for war.

Zhuge Jin, as the elder brother of Shu's Prime Minister Zhuge Liang, feigned friendship when he arrived at Guan Yu's camp and offered yet another marriage alliance to strengthen the paltry bonds between Shu and Wu. When he was put forth before Guan Yu and his son Guan Ping, and explained the specifics of the marriage between Guan Yu's daughter and one of Sun Quan's sons, Guan Yu immediately and predictably flew into a rage.

"My tiger lass married to that dog's whelp!? If you were not Master Zhuge Liang's brother, I would cut you down where you stand! Leave my sight and tell Sun Quan that I not only denounce his offer, but spit at it!"

Zhuge Jin conveyed that message all too enthusiastically, and Yuan Yao made sure to relay that quote to the Wu Imperial Court when the messenger arrived. "For years, the royal families of Wu and Shu have been united through the marriage of our princess Lady Sun and their lord Liu Bei, but it has now become clear that we have been exploited. We offer Guan Yu a chance to join the royal family of Sun, and he not only declines, but insults our entire state for even suggesting it. This is an act of treason, and should be punished accordingly!"

The court agreed with this notion and motioned for a swift punishment for the so-called God of War. Sun Quan agreed and sent the confirmation to Lu Meng, who had his forces lying in wait when Guan Yu mounted an offensive at the Wei-occupied Fan Castle. With the secret agreement between Cao Cao and Sun Quan in effect, Wu and Wei collaboratively turned back Guan Yu's forces and chased him away. Lu Xun and Lu Meng gave pursuit until they cornered Guan Yu at Mai Castle, where the general prepared to make his last stand.

As per the plan, Wu took every precaution in isolating Guan Yu, capturing or killing any messenger that tried to escape the battlefield. Little by little, despair set in the minds of Guan Yu's men, and piece by piece his army broke apart to surrender to Wu. But Guan Yu and his eldest son Guan Ping were made of stronger stuff, preparing that they die in battle over surrendering like weaklings. For a time, their bravery inspired the men to continue fighting, but when rations grew low, it became a tiresome trait. Guan Yu, like Lu Bu before him, found himself standing alone among an army of dissenters.

On the local front, Yuan Yao kept a close watch on the movements of Zhang Fei in preparation for his own assault. There was a good reason why Liu Bei and Guan Yu were the ones who received the bulk of the glory when the three brothers stood united in battle. Zhang Fei might have thought himself a hero like his brothers, but his multitude of bad habits made him a villain in the eyes of his own men. Every so often, some of his soldiers would visit Yuan Yao's castle and admitted to not being overly fond of their lord.

When Yuan Yao last encountered Zhang Fei, he was an arrogant, boastful, headstrong general who relied on his brute strength and inability to feel fear to get him through battles. Thanks to those less desirable traits, combined with his drinking habits that had not improved with the passage of time, he would often denigrate his subordinates in a very public manner. One soldier passing by the castle recalled of a tale where one of the soldiers declined Zhang Fei's offering for more wine at dinner, resulting in that soldier almost being killed by Zhang Fei's temper. When his comrades attempted to calm his fury, he lashed out at them and left two of them in a broken heap.

If Yuan Yao had any misgivings about putting Zhang Fei to death, the recollections of abuse and humiliation from his own men was doing a fine job in clearing his mind of doubt. Day after day, more and more of Zhang Fei's men would visit the castle and lament of their poor treatment, wondering if there was a way for them to be free of his service and be moved to a more reasonable camp. There certainly wasn't much news of this dissention from the camps near Cheng Du.

Finally, Yuan Yao had heard enough, and took the initiative to implement his plan. His first order of business was to personally speak to one of Zhang Fei's men and invite him and his comrades for a banquet at his castle. Recognizing Yuan Yao as an official of Wu, there was some initial distrust at first, but Yuan Yao assured him that the banquet would be a strictly informal affair. "I am a man of Wu, and you are a man of Shu, but we are both men. Why should it be such a sin for us to eat and drink as men, from one kind act to another?"

Yuan Yao added that they were welcome to bring their general along if they so wished, to make it clear that his intentions were "noble." Of course, it came as little surprise to him that when Zhang Fei's men came to his castle to have dinner, they came without the legendary warrior. Free from their violent commander, the men ate and drank to their heart's content, and Yuan Yao made it a truly festive event by having songstresses and dancers entertain the men after they had their fill. Yuan Yao's guests were grateful of his hospitality, and he told them that they were welcome to return whenever they wished.

When news of his men's travels into Wu territory to make merry with one of their officers reached Zhang Fei's ears, he very publicly and brutally humiliated them with as many lashes as he could muster. Given Zhang Fei's exceptional strength and endurance, "as long as he could muster" resulted in three straight days of him flaying the skin off the backs of each and every soldier who had dinner with Yuan Yao. However, this proved to be the spark that set off the powder keg of his camp. Having fought alongside these poor souls and won many battles with them, even Zhang Fei's officers decided that the abuse had to end.

They sent a messenger to Yuan Yao and begged for him to grant them amnesty in his castle and accept them as citizens of Wu, in exchange for the head of Zhang Fei. Finally, Yuan Yao would be able to appease his Goddess of War and offer her the head of her killer at Xia Pi! He sent the messenger back to their camp and agreed to take them in, but guidelines would need to be followed if they wished to enjoy the pleasures of his wealth and prestige.

A date was agreed upon, as well as the terms of the defection, and Yuan Yao spent the preceding days in deep prayer to his shrine to Lu Lingqi. Given how long he had waited for this moment, and the embarassment Zhang Fei doled out to him at Chi Bi, a simple murder would not suffice for his Goddess of War. Zhang Fei's death needed to be slow and intimate, consisting of many acts before the crescendo that sent his soul to the afterlife. For that to happen, a sword would not be the proper tool.

Yuan Yao's devout training to the art of war had given him a mastery of several types of weapons, each one carrying its own capacity for painful deaths if used correctly, but for this dark task, Yuan Yao commissioned something unique from the weapons blacksmith. It would be a weapon that could be used in many different capacities, able to defend from enemy attacks while simultaneously striking fear into his victims. Zhang Fei's neck would be the first to taste its steel, and if it could remove the neck of someone so powerful, then Yuan Yao could rest easy knowing that it wouldn't fail on lesser heads.

The weapon was completed just in time for Yuan Yao to head to Zhang Fei's camp, where the fruits of his labor were ready for harvest. Through his cargo that he carried on horseback, he felt the heartbeats of his goddess press against his body as vividly as they did in the village where he slew villains and phantoms and absolved his sins of hesitation through the blood of warriors. The blood of Zhang Fei, who for all of his faults was still a vaunted warrior, would no doubt reward Yuan Yao with even greater passions from the Goddess of War. All Yuan Yao needed to do was make sure that the method of execution was acceptable.

When Yuan Yao arrived at the camp, the former prince expected a more impressive reception for the anticipation. Unlike the fantasies of glamour Yuan Yao might have envisioned in his more imaginative states, the sober reality was that Zhang Fei's men went about their betrayal as quietly as possible. The men performed their duties and maintained their posts as if their commander were still watching over them, and they greeted Yuan Yao the same way they would greet any officer coming to visit their camp. He found their lack of enthusiasm off-putting and attempted to lift their spirits.

"Rejoice, noble soldiers and warriors! Tonight is the night where you rise up and strike down your oppressor, and emancipate yourselves from the shackles of the tyrant! In the arms of Wu, you will find enlightenment and prosperity beyond your wildest dreams, as a reward for the gift you have given me on this fine evening!"

Soon afterwards, Yuan Yao was introduced to the camp's former commander, tied to a post with his eyes yellow with intoxication. Zhang Fei's moments preceding the revolt were not spent in paranoia or fear, but by indulging in his common routine of drinking until his soul threatened to spill out of him in a puking fit. This made it all too easy for his men to escort the inebriated warrior to his undoing, binding him with ropes until he was able to move about. Anti-climatic to say the least: they hoped that the ordeal would be as magnificent and as rewarding as a victory in war.

Thankfully for Yuan Yao, Zhang Fei was sober enough that he realized the situation he had found himself in. The deposed general looked up to the former prince and sneered at him. "I bet you feel real proud of yourself right now, buying off my men like the whores they are and turning them against me. You really think you sissies from Wu can take us over just because you take me out? I'd say you're brave, but I don't think highly of morons."

"Strong words coming from someone who abuses his men and steals the lives of the innocents he purports to protect," Yuan Yao replied with a sneer of his own before reaching for the weapons hanging from his horse. The weapons in plain sight were a bow and quiver, far from uncommon for even a court official like himself to have. But the sword Yuan Yao had kept at his side had been abandoned in favor of the considerably larger weapon that he pulled from the straw bag and brandished with glee.

Having drawn inspiration from the buckler which he used to return the phantom of his idol Lu Bu to the afterlife, Yuan Yao decided that a buckler would be his weapon of choice for delivering the punishment and execution of his nemesis, and anyone else who stood in his way from that point onward. Yuan Yao's buckler was made of the finest wood and the sturdiest steel, with the shield possessing the emblem of Wu. But at the end of the buckler were two shears that jutted out like the horns of a beetle, designed to open and close whenever the buckler's handle was pressed with more than enough speed and power to sever flesh and bone.

"Release him."

Yuan Yao issued his request as calmly and clearly as even the most hardened general, fully aware of what would happen if Zhang Fei was untied from the post and left to decide his own fate. The other men were less than eager to do so, fearing that the general would turn his wrath upon them and rip their limbs off of their body. "Release him, or our agreement is rendered void," Yuan Yao reiterated his request, and then turned to Zhang Fei. "Master Zhang Fei, your men are about to let you go. What will you do once that happens?"

"Tying you up in knots sounds like fun," Zhang Fei shot back.

"Then if you can do so, we will let you go free," Yuan Yao offered while Zhang Fei's men finally started to untie him. Any smart general would have used that opportunity to escape and warn his superiors of the treachery that had overtaken his camp, but Yuan Yao was counting on Zhang Fei's stubbornness to keep him from doing the right thing. The Goddess of War had ignored Yuan Yao whenever he attempted to avenge her through trickery, but gave him a sample of her love when he dirtied his hands with direct conflict.

Therefore, Yuan Yao would take Zhang Fei's life when the general was able to defend himself, even though in truth, his defense was about as viable as a wall of paper.

As soon as the binding was undone, Zhang Fei grabbed onto the ropes used to hold him still andgave them a hard yank, pulling the two men who undid his bonds into his powerful grip. With a twist, he snapped their necks like twigs, and tossed their bodies at Yuan Yao like they were as light aspieces of corn. Yuan Yao was not impressed with the gesture and swatted the flying bodies aside so that they fell away from him. A diversionary tactic, Yuan Yao mused, and not a very graceful one, but Zhang Fei was not a graceful man.

Zhang Fei charged at Yuan Yao was a war cry, lifting his fist to crush the arrogant politician's face. "First to go shall be the arm that tries to stop the justice you have so painstakingly evaded all these years." Yuan Yao lifted his bow and fired off an arrow at Zhang Fei's knuckle, piercing it to lodge it within his arm from the hand upwards. Tearing through flesh and tendons, the arrow made even Zhang Fei stop to cry out in pain, but it was only a temporary setback as he rampaged onward without even pulling out the arrow.

"Next is the arm that claimed the lives of countless men who died only to feed your undeserved reputation," Yuan Yao lifted a second arrow and again skewered Zhang Fei's hand, leaving the general completely helpless to do much more than continue charging towards Yuan Yao and tackle him to the ground with his shoulders. The pain he was in was truly maddening, as his eyes were wide with rage and resembled a wounded tiger more than a wounded man.

Two more shots later, and Zhang Fei's legs were rendered useless, forcing him to collapse onto his knees mere inches away from Yuan Yao, who caught the general's neck between his shears. "What...did I ever do to you?" Zhang Fei hissed through blinding pain as he lifted his head to see Yuan Yao's eyes of sadistic ecstacy look down at him. "This isn't between Wu and Shu, is it? Does this have something to do with that crazy father of yours?"

"Yuan Shu was a fiend, and I took great pride in ending that cur's life," Yuan Yao boasted while his fingers danced happily along the grip of the shears, eager to cut Zhang Fei's life off in a gruesome and abrupt matter. "No...you, Zhang Fei, have committed a far worse crime by ending the mortal existence of my beloved fiancé. You, who claim to be a man of virtue, shall die in shame, abandoned by your subordinates while your punishment is carried out!"

"What...what are you babbling about? I don't kill women and children!"

"When faced with inescapable peril, the hero feigns denial, hoping to stay his executioner's hand," Yuan Yao turned to the other men, who had become uncomfortable with their host's slow method of dispatching their former commander. But the former prince cared little for their opinion: he could already feel his Goddess of War's embrace in his soul as he prepared for the rush of satisfaction that would fill him. "Zhang Fei, for the inexcusable crime of executing the Goddess of War Lu Lingqi at Xia Pi Castle…I judge you and deliver your punishment…"

"Wait…Lu Bu's kid? You got the wrong man, boy! I never-"

"DEATH!"

Zhang Fei's words and neck were severed from existence, never to return as Yuan Yao pulled back on his grip and beheaded the once-proud general. With great elation, he held his head balanced on top of his shears and watched the life drain from its eyes. When the last twitches of life ceased, he turned to his former men and held the head high in the air. "Men of Wu, raise your voices! You have been liberated from your aggressor, and can now bring prestige to your families!"

With great haste, Yuan Yao returned to his castle with the head of his nemesis, laughing with maniacial glee as he anticipated what awaited him when he returned. Zhang Fei was a warrior who had slain tens of thousands of men who sought the very same thing that Yuan Yao carried with him, but only he had the wherewithal to claim his head. The prestige from such an accomplishment had the potential to learn the lowest soldier into an officer of legend.

But Yuan Yao cared little for fame and infamy from the common man, for the head of Zhang Fei was a gift reserved for his Goddess of War, who spent years waiting for the day where her mortal death was avenged by her most faithful servant. Upon arriving in his quarters, the prince placed the head of Zhang Fei in front of his altar and prayed deeply, thanking his Goddess of War for giving him the strength and ambition to carry though with their revenge. Justice had finally been served, and as such, a weight was lifted from Yuan Yao's heart.

He went to bed without cleaning the blood from his body, feeling that doing so would wash away the elation he felt from completing his dark task, but it paled in comparison to the elation he would feel later that evening.

It started with a gentle kiss to rouse him, causing the servant to slowly open his eyes and notice his mistress giving him the reward she promised. "My Goddess," he managed to whisper as he was allowed to return her affections, giving her the kisses he long sought to bestow upon her in the nuptial apartment. "My sacred Goddess…I am not worthy of your benevolence. I hesitated for so long…denied myself of you…"

She said nothing, responding only through her increased passion and clear intentions. Gradually, the pair disrobed, and the mistress allowed her servant to claim his reward through the long-awaited consummation of his devotion to her. For many years, Yuan Yao made good of the vow he made that he would not enjoy the warmth of a woman as such an act was reserved only for the woman promised to him by Lu Bu. Now, he had made good on his vow as he held Lu Lingqi close to him, letting himself succumb to her seduction.

Yuan Yao was pleasured until he reached exhaustion, returning to his dreams with a long kiss from his beloved. But even in his dreams, his reward was not yet completed. After many years of nightmares with his Goddess of War as the star attraction, Yuan Yao was finally treated to more enjoyable favors by his beloved. She praised him and loved him, and in turn he returned her love with vows of loyalty and faithfulness. In return, she promised him her own vow of faithfulness, so long as he could provide her with the final gift he promised her.

When daybreak came, Yuan Yao found himself alone once again, but his lack of garments upon his awakening was proof enough that what he experienced was no mere dream. The blood he went to bed with the prior evening had been completely cleaned off his body, no doubt accepted by his Goddess of War. A part of him already longed for her touch once again, as the pain of losing his love once more made his scar ache terribly.

But Yuan Yao quickly took solace in the fact that the Goddess of War was returning his faith in her. All he needed was one more head, and her return would be complete.


	9. Reunion at Yi Ling

The plan had worked marvelously.

Though Wu offered surrender to Guan Yu when they cornered him at Mai Castle, the God of War chose death before submission, and his wish was granted without hesitation. Joining him in death was his son Guan Ping and the Wu commander Lu Meng, who died of illness shortly after Guan Yu's execution. Once the executions were done, Wu lifted their information embargo and allowed news to spread that Guan Yu had finally met his end. All that remained now was to wait for Shu's reaction.

When Lu Xun and Zhuge Jin returned to Wu, they were pleased to learn that Yuan Yao had succeeded in his task of eliminating Zhang Fei, who would have likely been the first wave of assault from Shu had his life been spared. Even more surprising was the fact that Yuan Yao did not even have to raise an army to overcome the general, as he was able to convince Zhang Fei's men to defect to Wu and practically hand the general over to his tender mercies. Yuan Yao proudly displayed his head to Sun Quan, who then requested that it receive a proper burial.

It was a request that Yuan Yao only complied with superficially. In reality, he kept Zhang Fei's head in his quarters, rending the flesh from the bone and keeping its skull next to his late father's skull. Even without the rituals and fanfare, Yuan Yao had claimed the head of a vaunted general and it seemed unceremonious to discard the head immediately. The skull also complimented his shrine quite nicely, placing the head next to his father's head to give his setup a very symmetrical union.

Yuan Yao returned to the capital as the recipient of resounding praise from Sun Quan. There had been plenty of doubts about Yuan Yao's capabilities for servicing the state of Wu while suffering from crippling depression, but he had returned to his brother-in-law and sister with the recompense he needed to ensure his spot in the Wu Imperial Court. More importantly, he had proven himself an able military hand by personally delivering the head of Zhang Fei, and was formally recruited into military service as an officer.

Wu's latest warrior would not have to wait very long for his debut in the three-way war to decide the fate of China. When word of Guan Yu and Zhang Fei's demise reached the kingdom of Shu, Liu Bei immediately reacted with more venom than the deadliest snake and immediately called for war against the kingdom of Wu. A few of Liu Bei's advisors and generals attempted to sway his lord's mind, citing the drain in resources a war with Wu would have in the ongoing campaign against Cao Cao, but he would have nothing of it.

In the wake of losing his two oath brothers, Liu Bei would cast aside the title of hero and cast himself the villain, swearing death upon Sun Quan and sending a message that he should prepare his neck for the executioner's slab.

News of Shu's mobilization quickly reached Jianye, but Sun Quan showed no distress and instead ordered his forces to mobilize at Yi Ling for their fated showdown with Liu Bei. Unlike Cao Cao's surprising assembly of his naval fleet at Chi Bi years before, Liu Bei marched his troops through the forests and mountains of Shu so that they could enter Wu territory and take revenge for his fallen brothers. There would be no deception or trickery on Liu Bei's part: he made it very clear that he wanted the blood of Wu on his hands.

While the officers of Shu were not particularly keen on attacking a force that could potentially be a strong ally in overcoming Wei, especially considering that campaigns were simultaneously underway against the foe in the north, the officers of Wu were all too eager to test their strength against their former allies. When Liu Bei married Sun Shang Xiang, several rivalries formed between the two forces when Liu Bei stayed in Wu, and the auspicious way they parted made them eager to show that they were the better army.

Yuan Yao in particular relished the thought of charging into battle against Shu, as he owed a good deal of his heartache to their generals. Though Pang Tong had perished in Liu Bei's campaign to take Cheng Du, Zhuge Liang was still very much alive and active during warfare, and Yuan Yao greatly desired his grotesque end after the role he played in Zhou Yu's passing. Liu Bei himself was another target for Yuan Yao's ire, as he had been a participant in the Battle of Xia Pi.

On a less vengeful front, Yuan Yao had developed a powerful thirst for the blood of strong warriors, even if they were unrelated to his campaign for justice. When he drew the blood of the bandits that attacked his post, Yuan Yao felt closer than ever to the military perfection that he strove to achieve since he witnessed Lu Bu's arrow strike the halberd. When he drained the life from an opponent and felt his life force brush against him, he felt less like the Goddess of War's subject and more like her equal. This was especially important, for a husband that relied on his wife for protection was no husband at all.

With Lu Meng dead, Sun Quan named Lu Xun his new supreme commander of his forces, valuing his intelligence and military prowess and citing his role in Guan Yu's defeat as proof of his competency. There were those in the court who expected Yuan Yao to receive consideration, but Yuan Yao admitted that he personally requested that he not receive the title of leader. The official reason was that he felt he had spent so much time in the court that he would not perform well as the chief strategist in so crucial a battle, but his personal secret reason was that, as Supreme Commander, he would spent most of the battle in the safety of the main camp.

Yuan Yao wanted to be in the very heart of battle, ending lives and shaming families by how brutal and utterly dominant he would be in turning the soldiers of Shu into meat. This was a fantasy he happily shared with Lu Xun at the war meeting to decide placements on the battlefield when Shu arrived at Yi Ling. His enthusiasm was met with a mixed reception, and the other members of the council were unsure if Yuan Yao was either very eager to serve Wu or just eager to draw blood.

Lu Xun recognized Yuan Yao's capabilities in spite of his intentions and obliged him. When the two forces engaged in their opening skirmishes, Liu Bei's first order of business would be to hunt down the man who killed his brothers. Therefore, Yuan Yao's unit would be used to lure out the enemy's main force and keep them busy while Zhu Ran infiltrated the Shu camp. This would allow Lu Xun to destroy the camp with a fire attack, driving Liu Bei into a corner and ultimately turning him back.

Should Yuan Yao still be alive after the fire attack was successful, he would be in the very front of Wu's invasion of the enemy camp. This would allow him to lead the way to Liu Bei, where he would either lose his dignity or lose his head. Either way, it would be a battle that would forever make it known to Shu that as valuable of an ally Wu has been to them, they would not tolerate any deception or trickery regardless of what their intentions were.

With his own force under his command, Yuan Yao wasted no time acclimating his men to his unique brand of battle preparations. The former prince proudly showed off his religion and set up a larger, more elaborate altar to which he and his men would pay tribute to the Goddess of War. The two halberds from the shrine in his quarters were used as the basic model for the more intricately designed pikes that he set at the altar, bringing the heads of Yuan Shu and Zhang Fei to truly make it the definitive place of prayer.

Yuan Yao further primed himself for the battle by giving the blacksmith the blueprints for his own personalized armor that he would wear to battle. The mark of a truly reputable general was seen through the monikers they earned through their acts of bravery and valor. Therefore, Yuan Yao drew inspiration from the nickname he received for one of his subordinates when he first brought the skulls of his enemies to the altar he set up. No longer was he just Yuan Yao, the deposed crown prince and brother-in-law to Sun Quan.

Now, he was also known as Yuan Yao of the Skulls.

When it came time for the day of reckoning, he hid his new armor under a cloak and called his men to join him at the altar, where he rallied his troops through prayers to the Goddess of War. The philosophy of the age that the acquisition of a famous warrior's head would transfer all of his infamy to the captor held especially true, as Yuan Yao's men saw their officer as something far more than a simple madman. As he recited his prayers and gave thanks to their deity's bravery she would bestow upon them, Yuan Yao was now a messenger of death who would bring misfortune to their enemies.

"Through darkest times and deep despair,

The Goddess of War shall lead us there

To a land of victory and untold glory,

Where women and children tell our story.

While our enemy breaks and bleeds dry,

We shall survive and raise our cry!

Our blades will shine and our arrows shall soar,

As we cleanse this field for our Goddess of War!"

It was here that he requested one of his attendants to hand him another halberd, one that was stood out from the stock weapons the soldiers carried and instantly identifiable to his underlings. Though it took him quite some time to find the weapon, and months after that to smuggle the weapon over Wu's borders, Yuan Yao held in his hand the halberd used to bring peace without needing to take a single life. Nevertheless, he felt the souls of the thousands slain by the halberd's blade surge through him as he held it high above his head for his soldiers to see.

"This, my comrades, is the halberd of Lu Bu, the mightiest general of our era and any era before! He came to us doing Heaven's bidding, teaching us what it meant to perfect the Art of War, but our enemy this evening branded him a monster. With their ignorance and arrogance as their weapons, they drove him out of this world and denied us the chance to learn from his example. But today, we will draw strength from Lu Bu. Today, we will draw strength from his weapon. Today, we shall continue his work and reap the lives of the unworthy!"

The ceremony concluded with a gulp of rice wine and a battle cry loud enough to echo throughout the fields of Yi Ling. In Yuan Yao's thirst for blood, there was evidence of boundless courage and trinckles of honor in his complete devotion to his mission. His comrades might have thought him mad, and perhaps he was, but Yuan Yao would ensure that his subjects would prosper under his reign. For was it not the duty of an Emperor to serve the people, and what better way to serve his people than to deliver swift justice to their enemy?

The evening gave way to night, and that was when the armies of Shu finally arrived onto the battlefield. There had been rumblings among the camp that the force they would be doing battle with were nothing more than reserve units that stayed behind while the main force was facing off with Wei in the north, but as the army marched to the east, it was quite apparent that this was not the case. Liu Bei spared no expense in waving his banner in Sun Quan's face, and he made it clear from the opening attack that there would be no mercy asked or given.

Yuan Yao's men emerged from the camp and charged headlong into the enemy forces, with either side eager to make a strong first impression on their new enemy. With his black warhorse bucking wildly before taking off, the former prince took sight for the first peon he saw and immediately took his heart with his shears. With a swing, he tossed the corpse into the crowd and dismounted so that he could engage in a more personal manner.

The chaos of the crowd, Yuan Yao found tranquility, quenching his thirst with each life he snatched away. He immediately noticed the general soldier's lack of commitment and resolve, feeling their paltry ambitions shrivel just moments before their life wilted away. That is why Yuan Yao had nothing to fear from his enemy, and the first wave quickly crumpled before his unit. As a first time officer, Yuan Yao had met the enemy force head on and won the initial exchange.

His men raised their voices in victory while Yuan Yao turned to his bodyguard and requested the tally while the dead were removed from play. While his men were enjoying the brief moment before the next wave and congratulating their friends who were still alive, all Yuan Yao could think about was Shu's response. This was not because of any anxiety of fear of what they'd send now, but more due to eagerness of increasing the body count.

The bodyguard reported that Yuan Yao's unit had claimed the lives of five hundred men in the exchange, with Yuan Yao himself personally slaying a little under a hundred. The prince cursed his hesitance and made a vow to do better for the next wave.

The next wave consisted of a few minor officers that Yuan Yao recognized from the first wave, but no one of any serious repute that would look impressive on the tally. The primary difference was that the second wave was greater in number and a tad more anxious to get their battle over with. Yuan Yan decided that he would not need his horse from this next wave and allowed one of the other soldiers to lead it back to the camp.

Instead, he lifted the banner of Wu high into the air and called for a full charge by his men. Again, the front lines of Wu and Shu buckled against one another for dominance, and for a short time, Shu's greater numbers in the second wave provided them momentum. Sadly for them, Yuan Yao was still very much alive and very much hungry for their flesh. The cries of his enemy's were far too confident for his liking, and so he set about changing the tune.

Through the sea of metal and humanity, Yuan Yao waded across the mob to find the closest thing to an infantry commander. He managed to find one by deducing how he was moving his mouth more frequently than the other men of Shu, and made it his mission to end his prattle. Reaching over the shoulders of one of his men, Yuan Yao lined his shears around the soldier's neck and cut off his head like it were a lock of hair.

Immediately after this, the lines of Shu vibrated violently, allowing Wu to once again gain momentum and for Yuan Yao to once again open his butcher shop. The nature of his buckler made it difficult for enemies to strike any of his vital areas, but he had no qualms with reaching for whatever weapon he could get his hands on and cutting them down when he could not behead them with his shears. Yet again, the lines of Shu pulled back and retreated, considerably smaller and meeker than they were when the battle started.

Once more, Yuan Yao demanded the tally when the bodies were removed for the next wave. The number that the bodyguard returned with pleased him greatly. The death toll now approached two thousand men lost for Shu, and Yuan Yao responsible for three hundred and fifty men who would be unable to see their families again until they joined in the afterlife. There were many accomplished officers who were fortunate to have more than two hundred credited kills per battle, but three hundred and fifty?

To this, Yuan Yao proudly called for a round of rations for his troops, and they feasted on their dinner like they had already won. News was spread to the Wu main camp that the former prince had become an Emperor on the field of battle, and his reign was one of tyranny. Lu Xun was not impressed and returned to the messenger to Yuan Yao's camp, ordering him to remain vigilant and hold position until the fire attack could commence.

Yuan Yao complied and reorganized his formation, stabilizing his line so that not even a mouse would pass by them. A considerably greater amount of time had passed since the last formation than the time it took for the one before it to arrive. The messengers would report to Yuan Yao saying that the Wu forces were still engaged with the enemy in other areas, so it was not like Shu had already given up. No doubt Zhuge Liang was plotting another dishonorable scheme that relied on trickery and deception instead of bravery.

After what seemed like an eternity for the bloodthirsty Yuan Yao, but was in truth barely two hours, the next wave of the Shu forces arrived to Yuan Yao's position. Instead of charging blindly into Yuan Yao's blades, this time they stationed themselves many yards away with the exception of a lone officer emerging from their rabble. Though he did not recognize the warrior, Yuan Yao immediately knew that Shu was delivering to him the officer he needed to truly baptize himself as a warrior.

The officer was a young man, possibly younger than Lu Xun, and in his youth he possessed the ignorance of mortality that made him a viable officer. "I am Zhang Bao, son of Zhang Fei, and I am have come for the head of the men who murdered my father," he declared as he raised his weapon, the fabled Cobra Pike that once belonged to Zhang Fei before his soul was offered up as sacrifice to the Goddess of War. "Cowards of Wu, deliver them to me immediately and I promise that your deaths will be quick. Resist, and you will share their slow, agonizing punishment!"

Yuan Yao stepped forward and antagonized the youth. "You need not harass the men of Wu to seek justice on your father's murderer, for he stands before you now with the blood of over three hundred of your comrades stained on his blade." Mounting his horse once it was delivered to him, Yuan Yao charged to the young man and issued his challenge. "Do you have what it takes to avenge that pig, or are you just the dung that fell out of his rear end?"

The youth took the bait and charged forward with a roar of hatred for the man. When they passed each other, there was a flash of sparks as their weapons clashed, and they quickly turned around to charge again. Zhang Bao lifted his weapon with the intention to behead Yuan Yao, but the blade of the Cobra Pike bounced off of Yuan Yao's buckler and they again passed unharmed. "Coward," Zhang Bao hissed while he turned around for a third charge. "You will not escape my wrath!"

The third time they passed one another, Yuan Yao needed to only lift his free hand and ball it into a fist. Then when they passed, he drove his armored fist into Zhang Bao's face, sullying the youthful cleanliness by bloodying his nose and knocking him off of his horse. With the battle joined in earnest, Yuan Yao quickly dismounted himself and eagerly dashed to the fallen young man to collect his head. It might not have been one his Goddess of War wished for, but it would make for a fine personal trophy.

Zhang Bao lifted his pike and parried Yuan Yao just before he could bring his shears around his neck. Pushing Yuan Yao off of him and returning to his feet, the youth cursed the former prince and issued threats as a laugh began to bubble in his throat. "You cur...you dare mock me after what you've done to my family? How did father ever lose his life to a devil like you!?"

Yuan Yao was all too pleased to explain to the youth the details of his father's demise, describing how he had alienated his own men to such a degree that decided to abandon Shu altogether rather than spend another day under his charge. He described to him how they sold their general to Yuan Yao so that he could do whatever he wished to the drunken cur, and he gleefully elaborated on the final pitiful moments of Zhang Fei's life, shot down with arrows before having his head claimed as a prize that was being held in his camp.

And with that, Yuan Yao finally cast aside his cloak and revealed the armor he designed specifically for his debut as an officer. With a name like "Yuan Yao of the Skulls," the prince made sure his attire reflected his moniker, as he held a skull on either side of his shoulders, while his breastplate was lined with the ribs that all men possessed when stripped of their flesh. Most generals designed their armor with more noble traits, but Yuan Yao was done pretending to be a good man.

Zhang Bao immediately deemed Yuan Yao a demon as the two joined battle once more. While the youth was brave and strong, he lacked the polish necessary to overcome an opponent like Yuan Yao, who had spent years perfecting his technique through a variety of weapons in anticipation of his debut. Futhermore, Zhang Bao only had the righteous fury that came from losing a parent to murder. Yuan Yao had the strength of madness trained through endless months upon months of heartache and despair, threatening to boil over every minute he was away from his Goddess.

And the most important detail of all was the full display of the scar in which he vowed to do the terrible acts of vengeance he grew to enjoy, though it had been modified and improved so that it bore the true meaning behind Lu Lingqi's gift. In the days leading up to this moment, Yuan Yao spent many hours in front of his reflection carving into his flesh, turning his belly into the canvas which he drew the calligraphy "marriage." And now, he would share his love with this young man who craved his own revenge.

The duel dragged on into a brawl, neither man willing to stand down for the other, and it wasn't until an arrow whizzed by Yuan Yao's ear that they were broken apart from their standstill. Feeling the sting of the arrowhead when it grazed his cheek, Yuan Yao turned around and noticed the shadow looming over him. Lifting his head, he received a sharp kick in the face which bloodied his nose and brought him to his knees.

"Brother," a young female voice called out, landing next to Zhang Bao while Yuan Yao returned to his feet. The former prince barely even had time to fully regain his focus when suddenly, he was attacked en tandem by his two enemies. His first opponent Zhang Bao seemed to have no qualms against this unknown woman helping him in battle, and if the way she wielded her shield and her weapon was any indication, she would have been a match for Yuan Yao even if she fought him alone.

At last, Yuan Yao recognized the young lady. Many years ago, when Liu Bei's forces were visiting Wu in preparation for the battle of Chi Bi, Zhang Fei brought with him his family to camp with him in the region. Though she was considerably younger and smaller back then, her identity in the present was unmistakable. Lady Xing Cai had blossomed into quite a lovely flower with the passage of time, in stark contrast to her drunken mule of a father who only became less flattering as he grew older.

Dealing with the youthful fury of one upstart child of Zhang Fei was a handful, but both of them at the same time was too great a task for even Yuan Yao. His stamina ran thin and his breath became haggard, and he finally toppled over to catch his breath. These children fully intended to torture him to death, which was only fair given the torture he gave their father. But he refused to show fear and surrender, for his life was always at the generosity of his Goddess of War. If he were to die on this field of battle, it was a mark of honor to have done so while requiring two officers to take his head.

So he stood proudly and readied his weapon, looking forward to seeing how many body parts he'd be able to rend from their bodies before they sent him to the afterlife to be judged for his sins, waiting for his end to come in a violent fashion...but just as they charged to run him through, they hesitated. "Hmph! Do you not wish to make me pay for my sins, children?" Yuan Yao sneered as he noticed that they had lost interest in him. "Come! I await and contemplate my end at your hands!"

It wasn't until Yuan Yao heard the sound of rapid footsteps that he realized their lack of interest in him was not because of any disrespect, but because of the interloper that approached the duel on the hooves of brilliant red horse, coming at them at almost impossible speeds. Meeting the siblings' gaze, Yuan Yao's expression of violent anticipation turned into one of starry-eyed wonder as the warrior riding the horse vaunted off, landing between them and joining the battle.

For many years, Yuan Yao had been deemed insane by his peers for his strange habits and idolization surrounding the late Lu Lingqi, who on the stage of history was nothing more than the daughter of her more famous warrior father who sought to use her as a political tool. But as she stood in front of him, dressed in her black armor with her cross halberd split apart into two glaives in each hand, as flawless as she was the night she rewarded Yuan Yao for his execution of Zhang Fei, that bloodthirsty insanity dwindled and a tear welled up in his eye.

He was not insane. He was not delusional. Lu Lingqi now stood before his enemies and they were very much aware of her presence. Almost immediately, the forces of Shu and Wu scrambled to assemble their messengers to tell their leaders that Lu Bu's daughter had infiltrated the field of battle, and Zhang Fei's children immediately treated her as the enemy.

"Beloved...let's make war together."

Yuan Yao wiped away his tears of joy and answered his mistress' call, and the two lovers worked together to even the score against Zhang Fei's children. The dance was as close to equal as it could possibly be, neither side able to score a critical wound and turn the tide in their favor. But at this point, this was all the forces of Wu could possibly hope for and more, for in the midst of this battle, Zhu Ran was easily able to get into position and set the Shu camp ablaze.

The explosion of heat rattled the forces of Shu, and Zhang Fei's children realized that they had been deceived by this madman and his mistress. Regrettably, they called their forces for a full retreat and made a vow that the next time they encountered Yuan Yao and Lu Lingqi, their souls would be cut from their bodies and sent to their father's resting place where he would dole out their true punishment. Yuan Yao laughed and replied that he welcomed their revenge.

As the fire raged and the Wu forces celebrated, Yuan Yao blinked and realized that Lu Lingqi was not disappearing into the darkness as she had before, nor was she teasing her lover with more riddles and vows. The sweat that glistened off her skin, the focused breaths from her soft lips, and the soft shine of her hair was proof enough that she was alive.

There would be plenty of time to explain the how, but with victory close at hand, Yuan Yao obediently followed his mistress to her horse, and together they rode into the enemy camp to slay more enemies in the name of Lu Lingqi, the Goddess of War that had returned to the mortal realm.


	10. Bound by War

Liu Bei managed to escape Yi Ling with his head intact, but the embarassment of failing to avenge his oath brothers was too much for the warlord to bear. Upon completing his retreat back to Cheng Du, he became gravely ill and effectively put an end to his campaign against Wu before it had much time to develop. After countless battles in the name of virtue and honor, it was the campaign in the name of revenge that finally left the hero bedridden and frail: a truly ironic fate for someone that claimed to fight for the people before his own ambitions.

His failing health was mourned throughout the state of Shu, with the peasants offering their own rations to their lord's castle if it meant possibly curing the illness that had stricken him. Prayers were held daily by the common folk, asking the Heavens to have mercy on their lord and to be generous by keeping him in this world for a little bit longer. Liu Bei had endured far worse defeats than Yi Ling and would surely rise again to lead his people to prosperity.

Liu Bei's illness was so unlikely that when Wu and Wei caught wind of his failing conditions, their leaders scoffed at the notion of a bedridden Liu Bei and believed the news to be another trap set by Zhuge Liang. But as the Battle of Yi Ling faded into memory and Shu refrained from any major counterattacks, whatever ploy it might have been gave way to the truth. Liu Bei was on his deathbed, and there was nothing anyone could do to change that.

As for the victors of Yi Ling who drove Liu Bei to such a sorry state, the state of Wu refocused their efforts on the campaign against Wei. Cao Cao had finally passed on from old age, and his son Cao Pi had succeeded him as the Emperor of Wei. Like his father, Cao Pi's ambition lay in the complete and utter conquest of China, stampeding across the kingdoms of Shu and Wu to pave the way to his vision. He cared little for the respect Cao Cao had for Liu Bei and his warriors, and saw Wu as nothing more than a nuisance that needed to be dealt with.

While they gathered their forces to resume the campaign to the north, there was much celebration among the Wu camp immediately following Yi Ling. Lu Xun had undoubtedly proven his ability to lead the Wu army into the next generation of the Three Kingdoms era, and now had a strong mix of young officers and experienced generals to round out their forces. Moreover, they had found a new ally with the return of Lu Bu's daughter Lu Lingqi, who provided Yuan Yao the reinforcements he needed to delay the forces of Shu long enough for the fire attack to consume their camp.

At the conclusion of the battle, Lu Lingqi and Yuan Yao returned to the Wu camp after sending the Shu army in full retreat, drenched in the blood of their enemy with the souls of their victims still fresh on their blades. Yuan Yao's reputation on the battlefield was established that evening when he struck fear into the heart of the Shu forces, accepting the challenge of both Zhang Fei's children and emerging from the duel relatively unscathed. In his mind, his bravery and blood offerings were what returned his beloved to the world of the living.

But when Lu Lingqi was brought before Lu Xun to explain herself, she claimed a more earthly tale. Following her father's defeat at Xia Pi, she was able to escape the battle with her life intact but her prestige destroyed. Taking refuse in one of the nearby villages, she hid from Cao Cao until it was possible for her to head south into the territory of Wu. From that point onward, she continued to play at being a commoner until she felt it was time to reveal herself, with her father's memory aged enough that no one would suspect her connection.

Lu Lingqi chose not to get into the specifics of the matter and requested that she be allowed to join Wu in their campaign against Wei, wishing to avenge her father's demise at the hands of the Cao family. Yuan Yao strongly advocated for her acceptance, citing her bravery at the battle of Yi Ling, but Lu Xun was hesitant to accept. While Lu Bu had plenty of repute on the battlefield, there was very little known about Lu Lingqi and her capabilities in proper military strategy. Therefore, Lu Xun requested that she stay within Wu's camp until a proper assessment could be made.

From that day onward, Yuan Yao's demeanor brightened considerably, shining with an intensity not seen from him since Sun Ce was still among the living. The baptism of blood and years of prayer had clearly paid off, for his Goddess of War now stood before his comrades as clearly as she stood before him in those dark times where he had abandoned hope. The love he felt for her was as pure and fresh as the day it was initially conceived, and he looked forward to the day they would properly wed with great anticipation.

Whereas Lu Lingqi had been cold and aloof to him in the past, she was now warm and comforting to Yuan Yao, standing by him faithfully whether it was in the military camp or in the court. Yuan Yao's peers no longer saw him as a madman, but as a man who was madly in love with the woman who defied both Cao Cao and Liu Bei to survive her family's purge and return to her lover. Sun Quan in particular was pleased with Yuan Yao's new outlook on life, and reaffirmed his faith in his brother-in-law.

"My brother once told me that when you came to him, you said that you would not have made a strong emperor without an empress to support you. I was young and foolish at the time, and saw these words as someone who lacked initiative to lead. But when I see you today, finally reunited with the woman who would have been your empress, I realize my folly in my doubts. If times were different, you would have made a fine emperor."

"Lord Sun Quan, your apologies are unnecessary. Being the emperor was my father's ambition, and the title of crown prince was thrust upon me. However, I stand by my belief that a man is only as powerful as the woman who supports him. I should be the one apologizing for letting my grief and revenge get in the way of the affairs of Wu, when I had the support of the Sun family. If I had been alone, I would have most sure succumbed to my sorrow and be unable to reach this point."

The return of Lu Lingqi gradually started to wash away the darkness in his heart, and the heretical prayers in her name became less frequent in favor of having her in his arms. Together they worked hard towards her goal of completing the pact they made where Yuan Yao would serve three heads to allow her family to rest in peace, and Yuan Yao looked forward to that day with great anticipation, for then there would be nothing keeping them apart.

The time for the northern campaign to begin grew nearer, and the final preparations were made so that Lu Lingqi could join the Wu army. Yuan Yao marveled over her form, admiring her devotion to the martial arts and how she had not lost a single step since he first laid eyes upon her. The forces of Wei would surely rue the day they crossed her family, for while the Goddess of War had the capacity to be generous, she held within her a wrath that would surely cut down thousands of her enemies in her quest for justice.

However, it wasn't until the evening prior to the Wu forces' departure north that Yuan Yao started to have misgivings about Lu Lingqi's participation. A messenger arrived from the north, carrying a letter addressed to Yuan Yao. Recognizing the seal as belonging to the kingdom of Wei, Yuan Yao quickly retreated to the privacy of his tent and opened the letter. When he did so, he felt a rush of nostalgia as he was suddenly returned to Lu Bu's tent, where the letter's author last met Yuan Yao.

"You are no doubt wondering why I, Zhang Liao of Wei, would send a letter of this tone to you, Yuan Yao of Wu. After all, it was I who turned back your army at He Fei, and it was I who almost assassinated your Lord Sun Quan to deliver a crippling blow to your state. However, I write this letter not as a general serving under Cao Cao, but serving under Lu Bu, for it is through his intentions that I write to you thus.

I have heard a great deal about you since we last met. While I found myself under the banner of Wei following my lord's execution, you offered your services to the kingdom of Wu as a member of their Imperial Court. But one thing that we both have in common is our loyalty to Lord Lu Bu, a warrior of peerless might who struck fear and awe into anyone he came across. Please know that when I was brought into Cao Cao's service, it was not part of any sort of betrayal. I was willing and ready to die by my lord's side that day, and was spared only after I requested a swift death.

But also know that another reason I joined with Cao Cao is because I was of firm belief that his daughter Lu Lingqi still yet lived, and I remained with Wei hoping that I may find her and protect her before one of my comrades recognized her and marked her for death. Truly the heaven's shined upon us when our lady emerged at the Battle of Yi Ling, as brave and true as she had been that fateful day we lost our lord. It is for this reason that I write this letter and make my pleas for your ears.

You only know Lord Lu Bu as a violent warrior, but know that the reason he became a villain was because he needed to be in order to create his ideal world. That world was not one of violence and conquest, but of peace and prosperity, for the reason he fought so valiantly was so that his loved ones did not have to. Lady Lingqi could not understand this, and so fought by her father's side until the very end. Now that she has returned, I turn to you for what must be done.

Regardless of what you might have thought after Xia Pi fell, you and you alone were our choice for Lu Lingqi's husband. Lady Diao Chan and Master Chen Gong sang your praises to our lord, and he in turn gave you his blessing to care for Lady Lingqi when the time came to join hands. It is only through cruel fate that you were torn apart, driving you to the darkness that must have clouded your heart when she failed to reach your father's kingdom.

This is why that I must ask you to take Lady Lingqi and retire from the battlefield. I have read the reports of Yi Ling praising you as a true warrior, and in the end, that is all any of us who take up a weapon can ask for. But if you truly wish to follow Lord Lu Bu's will, then you must stop the lady from following down his path of bloodshed. He chose to become a monster out of necessity, but Lady Lingqi has a choice, and I must ask you to help her make the right one.

I am very ill and do not expect to see the next winter, but when I see my lord Lu Bu again, I do not want to see his daughter alongside him. I know how deeply you love our lady, and so I entrust her safety to you."

Yuan Yao pondered the nature of the letter and attempted to discover any foul play. Zhang Liao might have claimed to have joined Wei reluctantly, but he was also the leader of Wei's vaunted Five Great Generals and one of the Cao family's personal favorites in their army. He was a particular thorn in the side of the Wu forces, to a point where he was demonized after the battle of He Fei as someone that the children of Wu should be afraid of if they have been naughty. If Yuan Yao ignored the letter and let Lu Lingqi fight as she pleased, he doubted that anyone would have held it against him.

But he still remembered meeting Zhang Liao that fateful evening where his father's forces and Liu Bei's forces agreed to a non-violence pact at Lu Bu's behest. Zhang Liao struck Yuan Yao as a man of great honor and integrity who valued loyalty above prestige, and the former prince could tell by the subtle edges of the handwriting that he must have put a great deal of effort and emotion in that letter. It made little sense for him to write a letter to Yuan Yao as some part of a military ploy when his role in the northern campaign had not been decided, nor did he hold a particularly high office of command.

Yuan Yao made his way to the camp and spotted his beloved training as vigilantly as ever, a soft smile on her face as her lover admired her form. She had not lost a single step in her technique and lived up to his lionizing of her as the Goddess of War: surely she would do well in her campaign for the blood of the Cao family. Even if Zhang Liao was telling the truth, could he have been aware of the delight she took when she lived up to her father's reputation, emulating his warrior perfection? Could he have been aware of how Yuan Yao drew strength from her for so many years and trained endlessly to one day reach her level?

He had all but decided that he would ignore Zhang Liao's letter before he spotted one of the castle handmaidens walking into Lu Lingqi's tent carrying something. Not recognizing her as someone assigned to the camp, Yuan Yao approached the handmaiden and asked what business she had in the Goddess of War's tent, which she had strictly forbidden access to even by Yuan Yao. The handmaiden attempted to turn back, but Yuan Yao cut her off and threatened to report her if she did not divulge.

Before she could explain herself, a soft whine came from the bundle of cloth she had been cradling in her arms, which Yuan Yao immediately identified as an infant's cry. Pulling the infant's face away from the handmaiden's chest, he only needed a single glance at the child's face to realize the handmaiden's business as Lu Lingqi's tent. Though the child's eyes were barely open, attempting to fall asleep in the last glances of the day, the overall shape of the child's face and tint of his eyes were unmistakable.

This child belonged to Yuan Yao!

Yuan Yao's abstinence from women was long the subject of ridicule among his peers, as he swore to never share a bed with a lady unless it was with Lu Lingqi, who claimed sole ownership of his heart. Therefore, the number of possible candidates for who could be the mother of this child was easily narrowed down to one, and Yuan Yao could identify where the child might have been conceived with no difficulty. What surprised him and slightly offended him was that he had been unaware of the child's birth, and the mother had said nothing about it despite how she had been risking her life in battle.

The handmaiden was forced to accompany Yuan Yao as he confronted Lu Lingqi, demanding to know what was going through her mind by participating in the northern campaign against Wei when she had a young child in her charge. "No one will question your bravery on the battlefield, but the mother's place in war should always be the care for her children and preserve life before they take arms to end it. What sort of future would this child have if his mother and father perish, never knowing the warmth of his parents?"

Lu Lingqi discounted Yuan Yao's outrage, and in fact found it amusing. "You presume to speak to me about my place on the battlefield? Were you not the one who prayed and sang at a shrine devoted entirely to my being the Goddess of War? Did you not bathe in the blood of fiends so that you could appease my thirst? Did you not take the head of your father and Zhang Fei so that you could feel my warmth? You dare do that and demand from me to explain myself?"

Yuan Yao fell silent as her words pierced him as effectively as any arrow. Lu Lingqi's absense from his life weighed on Yuan Yao heavily, driving him to commit terrible acts in the name of revenge. Without the loss of his love, Yuan Yao would have been content with his father's tyranny and paid no mind to the loss of life surrounding the nation. Without the loss of his love, Yuan Yao would have been little more than a spoiled noble who had no place of importance apart from his family name.

But Yuan Yao had grown far beyond his family name, creating a legacy of blood that would no doubt live in infamy. Not only that, but the person that stood before Lu Lingqi was not the mild-mannered pup who entered the enemy camp with naivete and innocence. Now, Yuan Yao was the brother-in-law to the Emperor of Wu, an accomplished court official, and now a warrior in his own right. He was Yuan Yao of the Skulls, and he stood firm in his beloved's anger.

The two argued back and forth with neither side willing to relent. Lu Lingqi accused Yuan Yao of hypocrisy for claiming to be her servant yet turning his back on her when the time had come to claim the final head he promised her in exchange for her loyalty. Yuan Yao retorted that his love for her exceeded all mortal boundaries, but now that they had a child to care for, he could not allow Lu Lingqi to risk her life and rob their son of his mother.

The quarrel continued until finally, Lu Lingqi lifted her sword and pointed it at Yuan Yao's head. "Out of respect for my father, I am willing to give you my hand, but until you fulfill the vow you made to me, I will not give you my heart. The blood of Cao is all you need to slake my thirst, and then I will be yours...but until that time comes, you must know your place, for you belong to me."

The Yuan Yao of old would have complied and followed his Goddess' wish, but for the sake of their son, he lifted his own sword and pointed it at the mother. "'Until he can disarm me, he shall have my hand, but not my heart.' This is what you uttered when you gave me this scar and branded me yours. Therefore, I challenge you to a duel in the name of my love for you. If I am to disarm you, we shall marry in earnest and I will spend the rest of my days laboring to bring lifelong happiness to you and our son. Should I fall, you may claim the blood of the Cao family and do what you wish."

Lu Lingqi balked and declared Yuan Yao's jest unamusing, but he confirmed his sincerity by making the proper arrangements for the duel. Within the hour, soldiers and officers surrounded the couple in a large circle, removing all other items from the battlefield with the exception of their swords. The terms of the duel were simple: whoever lost their weapon first would be declared the loser. Ideally, the soldiers of Wu would intervene should the duel become deadly, but it was doubtful that any one of them would be able to stop them.

The two lovers gave no quarter and expected none in return as they charged forward and attacked. It was immediately evident to Lu Lingqi just how much Yuan Yao had changed since their first meeting. Whereas he did not have the polish of a warrior to make victory a remote possibility for him in this sort of situation when they first met, the current Yuan Yao had the seasoning of countless endeavors, both on the battlefield and in the court. His resolve would not be shaken, but that did not stop Lu Lingqi from trying.

As their blades clashed, she aimed for Yuan Yao's heart and admitted how easy it was to toy with his emotions, right from the very beginning when her ruined carriage pulled into Yuan Shu's outpost. When she saw him preparing to take his own life, Lu Lingqi immediately recognized how simple it would be to manipulate him and exploit his sorrow, bending him to her will and turning her into a weapon that would cut down the men who destroyed her family. However, she was not totally heartless, and complimented Yuan Yao in the exquisite assassination of his father. If not for her need to keep her continued existence secret, Lu Lingqi would have enjoyed making love to him over Yuan Shu's corpse.

Yuan Yao parried the verbal barb, and her blade, and showed no signs of relenting. In fact, he admitted to his love that if not for her, he would have been content with overlooking his father's tyranny and living a mundane life of luxury and excess. If he had never met Lu Lingqi, his life would have been a purgatory of frolicking in the palace harem with no inkling as to what it truly meant to love someone. Whatever skill he had in poetry and dance was nothing but a heavily decorated shell, a beautiful layer that hid the nothingness within. All of that changed when he met her, and he had no regrets.

Lu Lingqi lunged forward once more and pressed the attack, declaring how pathetic she found Yuan Yao's meek weepings over Sun Ce's death. Sun Ce was someone that Yuan Yao dismissed as too reckless to unite the land, yet he begged to join Wu after offering Yuan Shu's head. Then when Yuan Yao pretended to act like a loyal friend to Sun Ce while secretly plotting to abandon his cause once he served his purpose, he turned an about face and showed weakness at Sun Ce's deathbed. It made it quite easy for Lu Lingqi to grip his heart and truly lead him down the path to her ambitions.

But again, Yuan Yao held a strong defense, for he was proud to consider Sun Ce his friend. By escaping his father's shadow and shelter, he was able to learn what it meant to create something instead of inheriting it. He learned the value of labor that came from the ambition to serve, rather than the ambition to lead. Because of those lessons, he was able to truly devote himself to servicing Lu Lingqi, and more effectively love her. And though he wept when it happened, Sun Ce's death made him stronger, for it taught him that mortality comes to all men which is why they should accomplish as much as they can for there is no true way of predicting the conclusion.

Suddenly, Lu Lingqi found herself on the defensive as Yuan Yao reminded her of the vow he made to bring her happiness. Having witnessed the emptiness of losing a loved one firsthand, Yuan Yao accused his beloved of empathizing with his sorrow and being as devout a follower to him as he was of her. Her hold on him was strong indeed, but there were other ways for her to gain her revenge without him. She could have easily preyed on the superstitions of other men who feared her name and would serve her whim out of intimidation, but instead she chose to haunt Yuan Yao out of love.

Moreover, she repeatedly risked losing her veil of secrecy by appearing before Yuan Yao several times, the most obvious instances being when the bandits attacked the village under his charge, and again when he took the life of Zhang Fei. If his love for her was truly a fabrication of deception, then she would not have revealed herself and allow him to give her the greatest gift a man could bestow upon a woman.

"I refuse to believe that your revenge would be so all-consuming that you would give birth to our son only because it was an unavoidable consequence. Because if it that is the case...then it is my duty as your servant to return you to the Heavens, for this world has tainted your purity to a point where it is not safe for you to be here!"

In Lu Lingqi's mind, what was happening to her at that moment defied earthly laws. She was the warrior daughter of the Flying General Lu Bu, the bravest and strongest general China had ever seen. She had been around weapons longer than she could remember, surrounded by martial arts for as long as she could recall instances of her life. Her opponent's swordsmanship was rooted in dances used to entertain guests, and only tasted blood through her goading.

Yet the youth whose only sway he held over her heart was his kindness and beauty of innocence when they first met, was now pushing her to the limit of her ability. She felt her own heart waver as his attacks became more intense, and emotions filled her body that had no place in a duel. Deciding she had enough, Lu Lingqi steeled her nerves and pushed Yuan Yao away from her, lifting her sword to resume the attack.

But all Yuan Yao had to do in order to stop it was lower his blade and outstretch his arms, stopping her blade mere inches from his head and completely breaking her fighting spirit. This allowed him to easily swat the blade out of her hands and embrace her tightly, dropping his own sword to make his intentions clear. Once more, he declared his love for her and promised that from that point onward, she would never feel the emptiness of solitude again.

Lu Lingqi struggled mightily for answers on how this could have possibly happened. It was true that her aching loneliness that threatened to cripple her soul when she lost her family to Cao Cao was moderated only by her haunting of Yuan Yao, but she still prided herself as a warrior who never lost sight of victory. But in the end, it was the definition of victory that morphed from the death of her enemies to the survival of her loved ones. She thought she could control Yuan Yao through lust, but instead found herself defeated through love.

Tears welled in her eyes as she returned the embrace, cursing Yuan Yao's name while he kissed her tenderly. She lamented her weakness as she found herself enjoying the warmth of his body, and she regretted her failure as the darkness in her own heart evaporated in the light of contentment. She had no energy to struggle, no stubbornness to resist the affection she felt for her Emperor, and could only snarl at fate for allowing her to fall in love with the man she was supposed to seduce.

Yuan Yao's victory was recognized by the army of Wu and abided by the terms by denying Lu Lingqi recruitment into active duty. However, Yuan Yao followed by requesting to Lu Xun that he too be relieved of active military duty, so that he could care for Lu Lingqi and their son. The request was brought forward to Sun Quan, who listened to Yuan Yao's explanation and consented. Yuan Yao had performed admirably in the defense of Wu and several times before by participating in other major strategies like the battles of Chi Bi and the wedding plan to capture Liu Bei, so he had more than proven his loyalty to the state.

The altar and shrines he built in Lu Lingqi's name were removed at the lady's request, as they reminded her of how dishonorable she had acted in preying on Yuan Yao's loneliness when she herself felt isolated. The path to revenge had prompted both of them to do things that not only spilled needless amounts of blood, but were ultimately self-destructive to their prosperity. Had they openly revealed their secrets to one another from the very beginning, they would have found contentment far easier than the trials they endured for the years following the fall of Xia Pi.

The wedding received a fair amount of fanfare from the people of Wu, and the ceremony was modest, but in the end was just an official action. In their hearts, they had been married for years and endured trial after trial as a couple. Upon the conclusion of the ceremony, they retired to the nuptial apartment and renewed their passions for one another, sleeping in each other's arms and enjoying each other's company.

And thus, with their sins buried at last, Yuan Yao and Lu Lingqi lived the rest of their days together as a married couple, raising a family and watching the battles as spectators rather than warriors. As their lives reached their twilight and their children grew to be adults, the era came to a close and the nation was united, bringing peace at last. And though his legend was overshadowed by the myriad of other tales of warlords and warriors, Yuan Yao passed on with a smile on his face, having started his tale as the last successor of Yuan Shu, but ending his tale as the last successor to his title "servant of the Goddess of War."


End file.
